When our congregation hears the Ecclesiastes reading today they will wonder who Qoheleth is. It is probably not the name of one person, but might refer to a student gathering, or a collection of wisdom sayings. People may not know the meaning of the word Qoheleth, but you don’t have to be a Bible scholar to understand the message.
The opening lines are a good summary of the whole book of Ecclesiastes: “Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity.” Another translation of the Hebrew could be “breath” or “vapor.” One translator has it: “utter futility!” So, “all things” are “breath,” “vapor,” or “utterly futility. We are reminded by Ecclesiastes that the things of this world are ephemeral. It is as if a person has reached the end of their days and is looking back. Their life is almost over and they realize they have invested their precious energies on things no more substantial than breath or vapor. What a downer!
The sage offers us plenty of material for reflection today. Where and how are we using our time and best energies? While we need to support our families, and take care of ourselves now and for the future, how much is too much? Are our energies well spent? Whom do they include and who is left out of our concerns? Ecclesiastes is part of the Hebrew wisdom literature. Despite its gloomy and pessimistic outlook, it does offer some perspective.
I want to look back on my life and feel I have, for the most part, lived it wisely. I don’t want to be shocked someday, like the man in today’s parable, who heard the dreadful accusation, “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” For the person hearing those words the opportunity to reevaluate and change has passed. He is not being offered time and he has no control over his fate – his life will be “demanded” of him.
But, unlike the man, we still have time. The parable is stark, but offers grace. Like a security alarm that warns us of danger it can, like Ecclesiastes, be shining a light on our lives and offering us wisdom. The parable presents an unfortunate, but not uncommon scene. For example, who hasn’t heard of a major conflict and break among formally close sisters and brothers over a parent’s estate? A close relationship is torn to pieces. Even when parents did what they could to prevent this type of conflict, after their deaths, the children go to court to get what they can from the inheritance. The arguments aren’t usually over the necessities for survival, but a grab for as much as possible. We seem to want more and more, thinking that will make us happy. Meanwhile, there is that intrusive voice that enters the scene and says, “You fool….” Jesus has also taught elsewhere that it is not our riches that can secure life. Maybe the parable will open our eyes and help us put limits on how much we want – and help us construct a boundary between sanity and insanity
A long time ago Peggy Lee had a popular song called, “Is That All There Is?” It was a song of dissatisfaction and disappointment. Is that how the man in the parable was acting? Did he not see beyond this present life? Did he conclude that this life was all there was for him so, as Peggy Lee sang, “If that’s all there is my friends, then let’s keep dancing. Let’s break out the booze and have a ball. If that’s all there is.”
The rich man lived as if, “that’s all there is.” If he were a devout Jew he would have acknowledged the bountiful harvest he had as a gift from God. He would have shared with those who were in need. There is no mention in the parable that he had family. Would they have had any say in what he did with his rich harvest? Nor did he ask advice from his workers and friends. Jesus sums it up when he says, “Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves, but are not rich in what matters to God.”
The man’s focus was himself. His chief advisor was himself. The only beneficiary to his actions would be himself. Notice how many times “I” is used in his decision-making. God’s response: “You fool.” He consulted a fool for advice and got a fool’s response. The man loved his riches, that’s where his heart was. But he would have no opportunity to enjoy his wealth, because he would die that night. Do we presume God is going to strike him dead? There are other possible causes for his death. A rich man who hoarded his wealth could have been killed by thieves, disgruntled workers, even a jealous member of his family. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Jesus accuses the man of not being “rich in what matters to God.” He was habitually disposed to think of himself first, instead of pondering where true happiness lies and then acting on what he discovered. God is the source of true happiness and Jesus links love of neighbor with love of God. Loving God and showing it through love of neighbor would have brought him happiness. But there is no mention of neighbor in this parable; it is just the man talking to himself.
The man’s life is about to take a sudden turn; he will die that night. There are other ways for our lives to take sudden turns: the results of a medical exam; the phone call at 2 AM; the death of a family member, or beloved friend; a layoff at work; the breakup of a marriage. These and many other crises can make life very difficult to bear; but they can be devastating if our lives are not rooted in God, who is our rock in hard times and our strength to see us through.
Money can give out on us. But it can also be the means by which we express where our treasure lies. Besides using it to cover life’s basic needs, how else do we use our resources? Do we use our money to care for the least? And it isn’t just about money, is it? Our calendar can tell us how we use another treasure – our time – and it will show where our treasure lies. As the end approaches the elderly, or terminally ill, sometimes express regret with how they used their time. They will recall how they worried and were fretful over unimportant concerns and lost sight of what really mattered. Why wait till the end? Why not put this question to ourselves. “What really matters in my life and what am I doing about it?” To put it another way: we need to open our barn doors and share our treasures with others.