Ecclesiastes 11:9 -12:8 / Luke 9:43-45
The spring-time of life is certainly the days of youth when life is light and bright.
Those care-free days are filled with energy and in pursuit of dreams and even the sky may not be the limit.
Yes, as the 1st reading puts it, the time of youth is the time where we follow the promptings of the heart and the desires of the eyes.
And yet it also gives a grim reminder - remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before evil days come and the years approach when you say, "These give me no pleasure."
As we grow in the wisdom of years, we may look back at the days of our youth and feel awkward about what we were chasing after.
Especially for the admiration that we sought from others in trying to carve out a position in life.
In the gospel, Jesus gained the admiration of everyone for all He did.
Yes instead of brimming with pride, Jesus said to His disciples, "For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men."
Of course His disciples didn't understand what He was saying.
What they were seeing is the bright sunshine of dreams and there was no thought of the dark clouds of despair.
But as the 1st reading says, all is vanity.
Let us be sober and wise and put our hope in God.
Everything will pass away but only God is eternal, and it is in God alone that our life will have meaning and direction.