The nothingness of the world's goods

In manu eius statera dolosa, calumniam dilexit
“there is a deceitful scale ¹ in his hand, he hath loved oppression”
Os. 12, 7

Summary. Goods must be weighed on God's scales and not on that of the deceiving world. Let us not only look at the goods that this (or that) man has, but let us also look at what he takes with him in death. Let us ask all those rich, sages, princes and emperors, who have (already) entered (in) eternity and are burning in hell: What have you left of (from) the pomps, delights and riches enjoyed on earth? Everyone responds: “Nothing! Our joys have passed like a shadow, and there is nothing left for us but eternal despair.” Set the misfortune of others as an example for us!

I. Goods must be weighed on God's scales and not on the world's, which is deceptive. The goods of the world are despicable, because they do not satisfy our souls and run out quickly. “ My days ”, said the holy man Job (Job. 9, 25-26) lamenting, “ They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey. ” Indeed, the days of our life pass and flee, and what remains to us from of the enjoyments of the earth? Pertransierunt quasi naves – “They passed like ships” . Ships leave no trace of their passage; the rough waves of the sea furrow, but a little later you can't see any trace, not even the furrow that its keel made in the waves.

Let us ask the many richs, sages, princes and emperors, who have already entered (in) eternity, what remains of the pomps, delights and grandeurs enjoyed on this earth. Everyone responds: “ Nothing! Nothing at all! ” O man, exclaims St. Augustine, quid hic habet attendis; quid secum fert answers . You limit yourselves to contemplating the goods that that a great man possessed in the world; consider rather what he takes with him at the time of death. What is it but an infected corpse and a shroud, both subject to the same rottenness?

When one of the great people of this world die, they only talk about him for a while, and then immediately fall into oblivion (forgetfulness): Periit memoria eorum cum sonitu (Ps. 9, 7) – “Their memory hath perished with a noise” . And if perhaps these wretches fall into hell, what do they do there, what do they say? They cry and say: Quid profuit nobis superbia aut divitiarum iactanti? – What fruit do we reap from splendor and riches? Everything passed like a shadow, and all we have left is sorrow, grief and eternal despair. Transierunt omnia illa tamquam umbra (Sa. 5, 9).

II. " filii hujus sæculi prudentiores filiis lucis in generatione sua sunt (Lc. 16, 8) – for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light " . Wonderful thing! How great is the prudence of mudanes with regard to earthly things! What steps they take to acquire a job, a fortune! How much care they take to preserve the health of the body! They choose the most appropriate means, the most skillful physician and the best medicine, the purest air. But they are careless as far as the soul is concerned! And yet it is certain that health, dignities, riches must one day come to an end, while the soul and eternity will never come to an end.

Let us also consider, says Saint Augustine, how much men know how to suffer for things that are sinful. How much suffer the vengeful, the thief, the licentious, to achieve their own purpose? And then the soul nothing wants to suffer!

My Jesus, I thank You for making me know the vanity of the world. I abhor and detest, above all evils, the offenses I have done Thee, and with Thy help I propose to die a thousand times rather than offend Thee again. O eternal Father, have mercy on me for the love of Jesus Christ. Look at your Son dead on the cross. Sanguis eius super nos (Mt. 27, 25). – May this divine Blood come upon me to wash my soul. O King of my heart: adveniat regnum tuum (Mt. 6, 10) – Thy kingdom come. I am resolved to reject all affection that is not for You. I love You above all things; come to reign alone in my soul; make me love You and love only You. I wish to please You as much as possible and fully satisfy You for the rest of my life.

O my Father, deign to bless this desire of mine, and grant me the grace to remain always united with You. I consecrate all my affections to You, and from now on I want to belong only to You, my treasure, my peace, my hope, my love, my everything; I expect everything from You through the merits of your Son.

My Queen and Mother, Mary, help me with your intercession. Mother of God, pray for me.

Footnotes:

1. In the Douay Rheims Challoner, the word used os balance, not scale ↩