Requiem Reflections

Requiem Reflections

Not being much of a gambler, I tend toward the safe assumptions. And a dern near certainty is that the book of Ecclesiastes excels in every conceivable way compared to the furtive thoughts that accompany the condemned on their last walk to the electric chair. (Yeesh, everything ok there buddy?) But the point is that both are from the point of view of those facing their imminent demise. Ecclesiastes is written at the end of a life and should be understood as such. Not in the maudlin sense that we may associate such a depressing sounding viewpoint. This isn’t Edgar Allan Poe after all, “The boundaries which divide Life and Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where one ends, and where the other begins?” No, this is Solomon, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.” (Ecclesaistes 7:2) Any wonder why one was a poet and the other a wise king? While it may be easy to dismiss this book as too morose or bereft to be of any great benefit we should recognize that mindset for what it is, shallow and defensive. The same reason we dread going to funerals, but the exact same reason we leave them so inspired. Although facing the specter of death can be uncomfortable, recognizing a fundamental truth should be enlightening.

And here we are, at the end of all things. “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.” (Ecclesiastes 7:4) Eventually, the party ends. It is wisdom to recognize this and foolishness to ignore it, to pretend it will go away. Life is given meaning because it ends. Ignoring this inconvenient fact may be presently cathartic, but it robs you of something far greater. An appreciation of what you’ve been given. It’s often said that the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. (And it’s unwise to try to elude both!) Here’s Al Capone for an object lesson. In regard to taxes, “They can’t collect legal taxes from illegal money.” And elsewhere he said this, “I would rather be rich, affluent and greedy and go to hell when I die, than live in poverty on this earth.” After his conviction on tax evasion, Capone was sent to prison in May of 1932 at the ripe old age of 33. He spent seven years in prison, being released in the latter part of 1939, not as a result of good behavior or even mafia tinged wheeling and dealing, but because the neurosyphilis had ripped away most of his mental faculties. In 1946 a doctor found him to have the mental capacity of a 12-year old. He passed away on January 25, 1947, the last third of his life suffering bitterly from the venereal diseases he had contracted from his youthful excesses. And now? If his attitude had remained unchanged, he’s likely yearning to be back in Alcatraz. “This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.” (Ecclesiastes 7:29)

Fine, we get it, don’t pursue worldly wealth and luxury over all things. “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” (1 Timothy 6:9) Obviously, this is a newsletter for a Bible study group, we know this already. So I’ll spend time being the most pious, most uprighteous, most learned Bible scholar of them all! “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1) And also, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luke 12:1b) Two admonishments from Jesus, to be wary of those who pursue righteousness alone, and the extraordinary temptation which it brings toward pride. For it is written, “Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise–why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool–why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.” (Ecclesiastes 7:16-18) In all humility we should recognize our limitations when it comes to righteousness and wisdom, and while still pursuing them, be honest enough to see the truth of our wickedness and foolishness. We should understand that if there be any righteousness in us at all it should merely be a reflection of Christ in us. It is not a standard we are able to meet independently.

Let us use Capone again for an object lesson. There’s a chance when reading the sad end to his tale alluded to above that you felt that such an end was warranted for a decidedly evil figure such as himself. Solomon has something to say about such schadenfreude, “There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 8:14) Ignoring for the moment the idea that we can’t get too hung up on what we believe people “deserve” considering our own very undeserved salvation. Remember, “I said to myself, ‘God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.’” (Ecclesiastes 3:17) Solomon is pointing out that this world doesn’t operate under our guidance, at our behest, or according to our own transitory and contextual principles. He, once again, suggests, “So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

So many people miss out on this simple yet not easily achievable direction. E. E. Cummings reminds us, “Unbeing dead isn’t being alive.” Simply breathing air can keep you conscious, but Solomon suggests that actually living requires something more. A clear eyed acceptance that the end awaits us will actually aid us in this task. Stopping to smell the roses after all is tacitly admitting that such a thing is a rarity or at least a transient practice. Understanding that there is an ending for us imbues our daily drudgery with something that cannot come by itself. An appreciation. So wherever you may be, and whatever you may be doing, enjoy it. Eat, drink, and be so very thankful for the gift that today actually represents. You will only be given it once after all.

“[T]hen I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.” (Ecclesiastes 8:17) It’s easy to read such a thing and become discouraged. I mean, if even Solomon is incapable of divining the purpose behind it all, then what use is there for me to try? Isn’t that the very definition of meaningless? But what a wonderful gift this is. See that our lack of understanding of the complexity of the world around us for what it truly is. An opportunity for faith. Faith fills in the gap of our understanding, so that when we witness the wicked receiving the blessing deserved by the righteous we may remember that what is at work is something far grander than our own pitiful design. Which is the key that unlocks the door to hope. Even dreary Edgar Allan Poe knew this, “Even in the grave, all is not lost.” Hope is faith in action, our belief in God’s munificence out living our limited observation. There’s an old Groucho Marx joke, “Who’re you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?” But believing solely what our eyes tell us is a lie. It is critical we understand just how limited our viewpoint really is.

Faith fills in the gaps of our understanding, this unlocks the door to hope. Seeing the world this way allows a better understanding of that for which God gave His only begotten Son. Love. How much more so if indeed so much of what we do is meaningless. The ‘smallness’ of our lives only magnifies the enormity of God’s love, why should He care so much for creatures so petty? But He does. Confoundingly so. And this is not merely a ‘safe bet’ or the most plausible outcome. I explained to you, I’m not the betting type. This is already proven, a done deal, a victory already won. Jesus already died for you. He is already preparing a place for you. The way to a funeral is usually marked with honorifics of some kind. Here, we’ll often allow a procession to pass, even on busy streets and highways, a begrudging admission of the fate that awaits us all. Our tone at such times is usually somber and hushed. But what we have supersedes even such a powerful foe as death. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)  

Jordan Williamson