Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 24, 2020
First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1.2-11
2Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.3What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?4A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.5The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.6The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.7All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.8All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.9What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.10Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already in the ages before us.11There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.
Psalm 90
1Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.3You return man to dust and say, "Return, O children of man!"4For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.5You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning:6in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.7For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed.8You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.9For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.10The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.11Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?12So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.13Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!14Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.16Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.17Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
Gospel: Luke 9.7-9
7Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead,8by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen.9Herod said, "John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?" And he sought to see him.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two distinct yet interconnected reflections on the human search for meaning and truth. The first reading from Ecclesiastes presents a somber meditation on the fleeting nature of life and the futility of earthly pursuits. The author laments that all human endeavors under the sun are “vanity of vanities,” a cycle of repetition and impermanence. The earth endures, but human generations rise and fall, and even the greatest achievements are forgotten over time. This reading invites us to confront the limits of human ambition and the transience of worldly gains.
The Gospel reading shifts our focus to the confusion and curiosity of Herod the tetrarch. Herod has heard of Jesus’ mighty works, but he is torn between doubt and intrigue. Some suggest that John the Baptist has risen from the dead, while others speculate that Elijah or another ancient prophet has reappeared. Herod’s uncertainty reflects the human tendency to seek meaning in the familiar, even when faced with something entirely new and transformative. His desire to “see him” reveals a deep-seated longing for truth, though it is clouded by his own preconceptions and fears.
These readings remind us that the search for meaning is universal, yet it is easy to become mired in doubt or distracted by the cycles of the world. Ecclesiastes warns us against chasing after things that will inevitably pass away, while the Gospel invites us to look beyond the surface and embrace the radical newness of God’s plan. In our own lives, we often find ourselves caught between the futility of earthly pursuits and the hope of something greater. Let us turn to Christ, who alone can satisfy our deepest longings and offer true fulfillment. May we not be content with the fleeting, but instead seek the eternal truths that only God can provide.