The readings today begin with Ecclesiastes’ diatribe against those whose lives revolve around meaningless goals. “Vanity of Vanities,” the Preacher, Qoheleth, says, “All things are vanity.” People work hard for things that pass away. It is all in vain. In the Gospel, from Luke, Jesus tells a parable about a farmer whose goal is to be rich, and when he has far more than he needs, merely stores what he has, and dies that very night. “Seek that which is above,” Paul tells the Colossians and us, and then he lists some of the things that hold us back in our seeking God: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed and lying. The concept of success accepted by most in society is a fallacy. Success is not predicated on what we have, what honors we receive, what jobs we hold, etc. Success is predicated on how each of us is becoming more the reflection of God whom we were created to be. Success is predicated on our ability to assume the person of Jesus Christ. St. Paul says in the second reading that our lives are hidden with Christ in God in such a way that when Christ appears we appear. The personality of a Christian is so entwined with the person of Jesus Christ that Christ and the Christian, Christ in the Christian, must be one. That is success. Success is not a present reality, it is a goal, the goal of Christian life. The goal is reached, the life is successful, when every aspect of life reflects the person of Jesus Christ. That is success. All else is vanity.
