Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 24, 2020
First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1.2-11
2"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."3What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?4Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.5The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.6The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.7All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.8All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.9What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.10Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.11There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.
Psalm 90
1Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.2Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.3You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men."4For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.5You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning-6though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.7We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation.8You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.9All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.10The length of our days is seventy years- or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.11Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.12Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.13Relent, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants.14Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble.16May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.17May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us- yes, establish the work of our hands.
Gospel: Luke 9.7-9
7Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead,8others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life.9But Herod said, "I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?" And he tried 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.