Brief synopsis of the readings: In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes “the Preacher” declared that “all is vanity.” The author describes a laborer who worked “wisely, skillfully and successfully” yet left all he had done to someone else after his death. He described it as vanity and great injustice. In Luke’s Gospel a man approached Jesus and asked Jesus to compel the man’s brother to fairly share their inheritance. Jesus declined to do that and then reminded the man to guard against greed because life isn’t made secure by ownership of things. He then spoke a parable that described a rich man whose harvest was greater than his storage space. He then planned to build bigger barns, satisfied that he can enjoy the fruits of his labor. But God then told him that he was going to die that night and his harvest is useless. The reading ends with: “So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.”

Most Christians don’t know much about the book of Ecclesiastes, and if they know anything they know the phrase “there is a season” from their hit song Turn, Turn, Turn from the 1960s. Unfortunately those lyrics don’t give a good sense of the book. Today’s first reading does. Much of Ecclesiastes’ content is fairly depressing, almost cynical. It essentially asks why any of us should bother doing the responsible, long term thing, when all of our lives will end in death and all that we worked for will pass on to someone else. As I was once told there’s no such thing as a hearse with a rooftop luggage rack.

But that really goes against much of what we experience as humans. Small babies learn early on that if they wave they can make adults wave back. Schoolchildren learn that working hard and studying leads to good grades and parental approval. And farmers use their wisdom, knowledge and skill to maximize their yield.

That’s not a bad thing. Irresponsible farmers of previous generations risked hunger and even starvation. Today he is unlikely to starve but will depend on relief from the rest of us that may well keep him stuck in a cycle of poverty. Simply put, farming requires a lifelong and increasing skill set. The farmer in today’s Gospel, frankly, does the same thing. Sometimes the harvest will come in smaller than expected, and sometimes larger. He had no intention of keeping the grain in the barns indefinitely. He will eventually sell what he has and the barns will be empty.

And what about the rest of us who don’t farm? In my 20s, at the start of my working career, I began saving for my retirement. At the behest of lots of smart people I invested in savings, 401(k)’s and life insurance, knowing that I would need it someday. I was warned against spending all I had lest I fall into poverty when I’m too old to work. Most of us expect to work into our 60s and live into our 80s. That leaves 20 years with expenses but no income, and frankly without much of an idea of what we will need. My 103 year old father in law retired in 1983 and my 91 year old father retired in 1989. They have mercifully needed little professional care but multiple hospitalizations or time in care facilities can easily defeat even the most prudent retirement plans.

So what are we to do? Today’s readings appear to tell us not to save while everything around us tells us we have to save. In fairness we see examples that warn us against saving. A few weeks ago we read that Jesus sent his disciples out two by two without all they would need to survive, instructing them to depend on the generosity of others. In the Middle Ages St. Francis and others insisted that their followers be “mendicants.” Mendicants are beggars who rely chiefly or entirely on begging for what they need. Full disclosure: about 35 years ago I chuckled seeing a Franciscan friar with a pager clipped to the rope around his waist.

For us, I suggest, the truth lies in the middle. The laborer in Ecclesiastes worked “wisely, skillfully and successfully” but not lovingly. The successful man in the Gospel employs servants but we have no idea how generous or unjust he is with them. We live in a world that largely ignores the concept of wage disparity. The highest paid American baseball player will earn nearly $45,000,000 this year. If he worked 24 hours per day, 7 days per week his hourly wage would land just short of $125,000 per hour. That’s more than anyone could spend.

Perhaps today’s readings aren’t telling us to give no eye to the future but instead to give an eye to the future of all of us. We are all called to give to charity and I’m in favor of that. But writing a check, I believe, isn’t enough, it does little to join us together as disciples and people on our way to salvation. If we are blessed with more than we need, how are we preparing for the future of others? We hear about a “just wage” but if we are employers are we providing a “generous wage?”

If we frequent a sandwich stand and we see a tip jar we may grumble we owe nothing because the food wasn’t served to our table. But can we choose to be generous? My wife and I shop at a local farmer’s market here in San Diego and we’re not used to seeing a tip jar next to the fresh vegetables we pick out. But one of the women at one of the stands had a jar marked “Rosa’s College Fund.” Rosa told us that she will start college this fall and she’s the first in her family who has been able to afford college. This not only demands the tuition but the time she won’t be picking vegetables with her parents.

Can we use our position to invest not only our treasure but also our time and talent? Without (hopefully) bragging, I can’t imagine my retirement without the volunteer work I’m able to do.

Finally I have good news about the book of Ecclesiastes. The book ends with the recognition that life may not appear to have much meaning but the end of our reality lies not in what we observe or understand but what we believe. At the end of the our God tells us that being responsible, doing the right thing, and caring for each other matters more than anything.