7 days ago
Vanity x3
To be or not to be, that is the question. Do you like Hamlet's soliloquys or a good, melancholic poem? This Spring we are delving into the Hebrew writing called Ecclesiastes, which dramatises the meaninglessness of life. By taking the position of a man who has experienced everything good this life can offer, the writer concludes that there is nothing we can gain in this life that death will not ultimately steal from us. He is a king of achieved the highest wisdom and success in all fields, tasted every pleasure the world could offer and slept with hundreds of partners, only to conclude that "everything is vanity." Ecclesiastes 2.1-11 exposes three vanities that we lean into in our attempt to immortalise our significance: romantic relationships, fun lifestyles or significance in our work. We stepped into the solution: die to this life ahead of schedule, and start living for eternity now.
Podcast by Heather Cetrangolo, 11 October 2026
6 days ago
Welcome back Heather! These are very interesting reflections. I sometimes here these parts of the scripture as the insights from wisdom from someone at the end of their life looking back. I worked with people at the last stages of their life. Then and there much of what one holds up in life as important - money, fame, success etc. - fade away. It’s core things that matter. Our family. The people we love. The faith we have. The gifts of God. These are eternal. Look forward to the ongoing reflections. There is a time for everything. It’s a beautful scripture. See you next Saturday at the parish working bee!