by Father John P. Cush, STD
In today’s first reading from Ecclesiastes, we hear the famous refrain of the reacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” The writer of Ecclesiastes is grappling with the reality of human life, and he declares that all human toil — work, striving, and effort — is ultimately futile. This is a stark reflection on the transient nature of existence, leading to questions about why we work and what purpose our labor serves. We also hear how the fruits of labor, after a lifetime of toil, are often passed on to someone who did not labor for them, adding to the preacher’s sense of futility and dissatisfaction.
The theme of time is central to the reflections of Ecclesiastes. This leads us to think more about how we understand and relate to time, both in human terms and God’s eternal perspective.
In the Greek language, there are two distinct words for time — “chronos” and “kairos.” Chronos refers to the measurable, sequential passage of time — time as a series of moments. Kairos, on the other hand, refers to the “appointed time,” the opportune moment, or the “right time” for something to happen. Kairos is not measured by clocks or calendars but by the fullness of the moment, the divine timing that speaks to the deeper purpose of life. In Ecclesiastes, we are confronted with chronos — the endless cycle of time in which human beings strive, work, and labor, only to see it pass away. The preacher seems to be caught in a sense of chronos time, where all human effort appears futile in the face of death and the passage of generations. No matter how much one achieves, time renders it all meaningless. For the preacher, chronos leads to cynicism — everything seems to be part of an endless, repetitive cycle, with no lasting significance.
However, Christian faith invites us to see beyond chronos and enter into the perspective of kairos. Through the lens of faith, the seemingly futile struggles of chronos are not meaningless, for we know there is a deeper, eternal plan by God. This perspective allows us to view life not as an endless string of days, but as part of God’s larger, redemptive work.
The cynical tone of Ecclesiastes stems from the preacher’s realization that human labor often appears pointless, especially in the face of death. The preacher wonders what is the point of working so hard, only for our efforts to be passed on to someone who may not appreciate them or continue the work in a meaningful way. This sense of futility can easily lead to despair or cynicism, where one sees no ultimate purpose in life and simply gives in to a sense of resignation.
St. Thomas Aquinas, in his work “Summa Theologica,” addresses the problem of meaning and purpose in life. For Aquinas, the ultimate purpose of human life is union with God — the beatific vision. Unlike the preacher in Ecclesiastes, Aquinas sees the efforts of human beings, even the struggles of daily life, as meaningful when they are oriented toward this ultimate end. For Aquinas, human beings are not meant to be trapped in the cyclical meaninglessness of chronos, but are called to live with the hope of kairos, the opportune moment when God’s grace breaks into time and offers true fulfillment.
Aquinas would remind us that our work, even when it seems futile, can be a means of sanctification. Our human toil, when placed in the context of our relationship with God, is not futile; rather, it is part of the work of salvation. Just as Christ, the Word made flesh, entered human history at a specific moment in time (kairos), our lives too are part of God’s unfolding plan. The key is not to be absorbed in the passing moments of chronos, but to allow our hearts and actions to be open to the kairos moments where God’s grace touches the present.
Hans Urs von Balthasar, a 20th-century Catholic theologian, offers a reflection on the relationship between time and eternity. For him, the central mystery of Christianity is that God, who is eternal, entered into the temporality of history in the person of Christ. In Balthasar’s view, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the moments of kairos that give meaning to all of human chronos. Balthasar speaks of the “eternal now” of God’s presence in Christ, where time and eternity meet in a way that transforms the meaning of every moment. In light of this, the preacher’s cynicism in Ecclesiastes can be addressed. If we view our lives through the lens of Christ’s redemptive work, we are no longer caught in the despair of time’s passing. Instead, our lives are caught up in God’s eternal purpose, which makes every moment of time meaningful. The key is not to despair in the endless cycles of time but to recognize that Christ, through his Paschal Mystery, has given us the possibility of seeing every moment as part of his eternal love for us.
So, how can we live with a proper understanding of time? How do we live in a world where time seems fleeting, and yet we know that in Christ, every moment is filled with meaning? The answer is found in the tension between chronos and kairos. We must acknowledge the reality of time as we experience it — our daily struggles, our efforts, our work, and the apparent futility of all things. But we are also called to live with the eyes of faith, seeing in each moment the possibility of God’s grace breaking through — God acting in the kairos of our lives, making every moment an opportunity for holiness, for communion with Him, and for bringing His love to the world.
In practical terms, this means living our daily lives with purpose and intention, even as we acknowledge the transience of earthly things. It means, as St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, we must direct our actions toward God and allow him to sanctify them, so even in the smallest tasks, we participate in his eternal plan. And like Balthasar’s vision of Christ, we must open ourselves to the transformative power of the “eternal now” that touches our present moment with grace.
Let us place our lives before God, acknowledging the passing nature of time while also opening ourselves to the eternal grace of God that fills every moment with purpose. May we live in the light of kairos, trusting that our work and our lives are caught up in the eternal plan of love God has for us.
Father John P. Cush, STD, is professor of fundamental and dogmatic theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary and College (Dunwoodie), Yonkers, New York.