Ecclesiastes 1:2:

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!

This is a memorable verse. It’s so memorable, in fact, that we’ve kept this translation since the very first English Bibles. The King James and the Douay-Rheims both translate it this way. But the meaning of “vanity” has shifted from previous centuries. The Bible is not talking about pride or obsession with looks. The Biblical, and older, meaning is closer to “emptiness” or “futility”. I’ll spare you my nerding-out and simply say that a better translation into English as it is used now might be: The emptiness of passing things, says the Churchman, the vapor and smoke of passing things! All things fail to satisfy!

Granted, this isn’t so catchy. But it helps us to understand Qoholeth’s frustration. He has tried having money, having wives, having things, and nothing satisfies him. It is all like smoke. Once he tries to grasp it, it is gone. There is nothing under the sun, Qoholeth laments, that satisfies his heart, and when he dies, he cannot take any of it with him. (see Eccl 2:22-23) Our Lord, in St. Luke’s Gospel, calls to mind these teachings. The rich man–some say our Lord is referring to Solomon–builds up storehouses for his many possessions. And yet, God says to the rich man, “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” (Luke 12:20)

Ecclesiastes leaves us on the brink of despair about this earthly life. Qoholeth ends by remarking that all things are smoke and says that the task for humanity is to fear God and keep his commands. But our Lord, responding to this teaching, shows us that this life is not meaningless and futile. Our Lord continues his teaching, saying, “Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.” (Luke 12:21) The revelation here is that there is a way to find fulfillment: to be rich in the things which matter to God.

St. Paul helps us to understand more fully what our Lord means. He teaches us that our “life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3) If our life is hidden with Christ, then we must strive to live a life in Christ. In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul teaches us that “if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13) St. Paul reminds us that we must “Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5) We must rid ourselves of “anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths.” We must “stop lying to one another.” (3:8-9)

All of these things are, in the words of Qoholeth, smoke and vapor and vanity. Instead of grasping at the things of this world, we must grasp at the things of God: “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” (3:12) We must forgive (3:13) and most of all, we must seek to love God. (3:14)

The great irony here is that those things which seem most real to us in this world and passing things that cannot satisfy. They are like smoke. Those things which seem the least real to us, culminating in love of God, are actually the most lasting and satisfying things. They are the things that bring true happiness. They are, in fact, those things which bring us eternal life.

In a few short moments, God will come to be with us on the altar. This is the same God who can actually give us true happiness and lasting satisfaction. This is the same God who taught us to not worry about the things of this world and to store up our treasure in Heaven, for these are the things that will last. Death could not contain our Lord on Calvary. If we unite our lives to his, then death is just as powerless over us.