“And if man
lives many years, in all of them let him rejoice. And remember the days of
darkness, for they are many, [for] all that is coming [from it] is vanity.”
(Ecclesiastes 11:8)
Here we have to make a clear choice, either darkness of light. We enjoy
life in the goodness that nurtures it, and thus we rejoice in the days of our
years. In this chosen reality we confront the darkness with its vanities and
futility and lighten them up with the light of goodness, and turn their
negative trends into new opportunities to make the positive prevail.
“Rejoice,
young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your
youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but
know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.” (11:9)
We must understand childhood and youth as the years of a care free
enjoyment of life, for these are the times to rejoice in goodness. Thus we
relate youthful thoughts and childlike innocence as joyful expressions of
goodness that make the hearts happy.
In our heart dwell our thoughts, emotions
and feelings as the ways in which we walk. Thus we look forward to enjoy the
vibrant joy of goodness to live away from its opposites.
God’s love reminds us that our choices have effects and consequences
that eventually bring us to their judgment. Once we make negative choices,
these bring us to their also negative ends. Thus we understand that “evil is
the punishment itself”.
Let’s be always aware that God does not judge our
transgressions. Our transgressions judge our awareness or unawareness of their
consequences. It is simply a matter of cause and effect, for thus is the way of
the ethical principle inherent to God’s creation.
“And turn aside anger from
your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the age of life
are vanity.” (11:10)
In this context we must remove negative thoughts, feelings and emotions,
along with their evil expressions from our consciousness. Here “youth” is
referred as ignorance and inexperience in regards to negative traits and trends
in the vanities of ego’s fantasies and illusions.
“Remember
also your creators in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and
the years draw near, when you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’. Before
the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return
after the rain.” (12:1)
Here the “creators” are the principles by which we are formed and
educated in our childhood and youth, “before the evil days come” when we have
to confront negativity and make the right choices. These are the days in which a
strong and positive education enables us to realize that there is no pleasure
in fantasies and illusions, but only in the goodness of love’s ways and
attributes. In the light of goodness we can face with success the darkest
moments.
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