Vanitas

Painting by Chris Beaumont, 1988

"Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!" Ecclesiastes 1

Our first reading from Mass today. Later in the reading, "All speech is labored, there is nothing one can say."

In the responsorial psalm we pray, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart."

The Holy Spirit tells us about Herod in today's gospel, "And he kept trying to see him." Jesus. Yet out of curiosity.

In Magnificat, the commentary from Josef Pieper discusses curiositas in reference to custody of the eyes. Blogging in all of it's forms is a vanity.

"All speech is labored; there is nothing one can say. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor is the ear satisfied with hearing." Ecclesiastes.

O Lord, teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.

On Spirit Daily, Brown had a post linked to a kid's video inside St. Peter's at Rome that showed a ghostly figure near the high altar. Curious. It struck me however, as indicative of how some people seek signs and wonders and apparitions and revelations to nourish and instruct their faith, while missing the presence of Jesus; in the Eucharist, in the Church, in the Scriptures. This in addition to not heeding the authentic Teaching Magisterium of the Church. In this, we all can be a little like Herod at times.