The Eighth Sunday After Pentecost

I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to those who come after me—and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? Yet they will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. So I turned and gave my heart up to despair concerning all the toil of my labors under the sun, because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity. — Ecclesiastes 2:18-23

Then he told them a parable: The 401(k) of a certain woman grew abundantly. And she thought to herself, “What should I do, for I have never had this much money before?” Then she said, “I will do this: I will pull out some of the money and roll it into safer investments so that I am properly diversified and protected against a downturn. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have enough money to last you for many many years; relax, eat, drink, and be merry.’ ” But God said to her, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the investments you have secured for yourself, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God. — A modernization of the parable of the rich man (Luke 12)

Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. — Jesus of Nazareth 

If our lives do not “consist in the abundance of our possessions”, in what then does it consist?

I look forward to exploring this with you all this Sunday—see you then!