St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity Bulletin
Vol. 12 No. 7   August 2007

Franciscan column
by Mona

Recently life has been hectic with demands at work, deadlines to meet, funerals and then the 35W bridge came down during a Wednesday evening normal rush hour. This was an opportune time to step back, go on vacation and try to make some sense of all the madness.

One of the readings on Sunday following the bridge collapse really captured my attention so I went back and read and reread the passages. Ecclesiastes 1-6: Vanities of Vanities! Everything is vanity!... These scriptures go through the futility of all of our life’s challenges. We really think each and every thing we experience is new. We chase after the wind and toil to acquire things but it is all meaningless because it has all been done onetime or another since the beginning of time. There is nothing we can see, do, feel, hear, taste and smell that has not already been done as scripture states: "under the sun". When you continue to read and understand that men of old are forgotten, just as we will all be forgotten and even those who are yet to come will eventually be forgotten; that is all vanity.

This was all pretty depressing reading until I got to chapter 5:18 and read: "Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work— this is a gift from God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart."

So I concluded until the end of time there will always be bad bosses, nasty jobs, family strife, horrific weather, bridge collapses, sickness, deaths and taxes; but if I choose to keep gladness, thanksgiving and joy of God’s love in my heart I will find satisfaction in my life for all the gifts he has given to me under the sun for the few days I am here.

Mona sfo