[강론] “허무로다. 허무!“ | 연중 제 25주간 목요일 | 2026년 9월 24일 | 김유정 유스티노 신부 | Fr. Justino

“Vanity! Vanity!” Thursday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time | September 24, 2026 “Vanity! Utter Vanity!” Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time | September 24, 2026 Fr. Justino Kim | Fr. Justino #Thomastivi #Fr.KimYujeong #Homily #KoreanListening #koreanhomily #koreanlistening [View Manuscript] Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Luke 9:7-9 Come, Holy Spirit Since today is the day before the holiday, there were originally no altar servers, but Sihyeon and Seoyun volunteered to serve, so they are serving as altar servers. Thank you~ Today's First Reading is from Ecclesiastes. It begins with “Vanity of vanities!” The word translated as “vanity” originally refers to “steam,” “smoke,” “fog,” or “breath.” The common thread among these is that they vanish without end. A literal translation of “Vanity of vanities!” would be “Vanity of vanities,” but it is a superlative expression meaning “most vain, most ephemeral.” What is so ephemeral? Ecclesiastes says: “What reward is there for man in all his toil under the sun?” The phrase “under the sun” appears 29 times in Ecclesiastes. While the expression “under the heavens,” which appears frequently in other scriptures, carries a spatial meaning—referring to the universality of human experience occurring anywhere in the world—“under the sun” refers to the temporal universe of the living. (Choon-Leong Seow, Ecclesiastes: AYB 18C, Yale University Press 2008, 105) After asking, “What reward is there for all the toil done during one’s lifetime?” Ecclesiastes speaks of the earth, the sun, the wind, and the rivers. The sun rises and sets, the wind turns back and forth, and the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea does not become cold. Everything is in motion, yet at the same time, everything is repeating itself. Ancient Greek philosophy stated that the world is composed of four elements: earth, fire, air, and water; the medieval Jewish commentator Ibn Ezra noted that Ecclesiastes is citing these four elements. (T. Longman III, The Book of Ecclesiastes: NICOT, Eerdmans Publishing Company 1998, 70) Ecclesiastes asks how humans and their labors, which stem from the fundamental elements that create life—namely, the earth, sun, wind, and rivers—can be eternal when they all ceaselessly return to their places. Today's reading states that everything is fleeting and unreliable; what is the reason for this? It is death. Ecclesiastes sings of the utter helplessness humans feel in the face of death, exclaiming, "Vanity of vanities!" Meanwhile, in today's Gospel, Herod is greatly perplexed upon hearing of what Jesus has done. Regarding Jesus, some said that John had risen from the dead, while others claimed that he was Elijah or one of the ancient prophets who had appeared. Herod says, "I beheaded John; who is this man I hear about?" And so, he attempts to meet Jesus. Although we are reading a different Gospel for the Chuseok holiday, tomorrow's Gospel is the scene where Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do the crowds say I am?" The disciples relay the exact same rumor that Herod had heard: that he is John, Elijah, or one of the ancient prophets. Jesus asks again, "But who do you say I am?" Then Peter answers, "You are the Christ of God." Herod's reaction and Peter's answer are contrasted. Herod tries to meet Jesus, and he eventually meets Him at the end of the Gospel. When Jesus was arrested the day before His death, Pilate sent Him to Herod. After asking Jesus a few questions, Herod scorned and mocked Him, then dressed Him in splendid clothes and sent Him back to Pilate. He was curious about who Jesus was, but ultimately, he scorned and mocked the Son of God who had come before him. Perhaps he tried hard to reassure his restless conscience by mocking the prophet who might proclaim judgment upon him. According to records, in his later years, Herod was summoned to Rome, lost his rule, was exiled with Herodias, and met a futile end. Ecclesiastes sings that everything is fleeting in the face of death. The only way to overcome this futility is to meet the One who conquered death. However, with a mindset like Herod's—"a desire to meet Him simply out of curiosity about who He is"—one cannot recognize Him even if they do meet Him. To truly meet Jesus, one must follow Him like the disciples, like Peter. Today, many people wonder who Jesus is. However, not many truly follow Him. You, who strive to meet Jesus in the Eucharist and in the Word even on the eve of the feast, are likely those who are truly striving to follow Him. I pray that Jesus will be present in the hearts of each and every one of you, and in the midst of the gatherings of family and relatives we will meet during the holidays, leading us all from emptiness and isolation to fellowship, unity, and life.