Call no man fortunate before his death

OOR yesterday really struck me. See http://www.universalis.com/20080115/readings.htm. An excerpt, from Sirach:

"Good and bad, life and death,
poverty and wealth, all come from the Lord.
The Lord’s gift remains constant to the devout
and his goodwill means a good journey for ever.
A man grows rich by his sharpness and grabbing,
and here is the reward he receives for it:
he says, ‘I have found rest,
and now I can enjoy my goods’;
but he does not know how long this will last;
he will have to leave his goods for others and die.
Persevere at your duty, take pleasure in doing it
and grow old at your work.
Do not be astonished at the sinner’s achievements;
trust the Lord and keep to your duty;"

The reading goes on and closes with this:

"Call no man fortunate before his death;
it is by his end that a man will be known."

Whew. Clearly then there is no point to attitudes other than sheer acceptance and resignation in the face of God's Will. No point, neither to self-pity nor to envy. No point indeed to hopelessness nor to futility.

This to me is a real twist on the whole challenge of this horrible sense of futility and hopelessness that seems to engulf me constantly.

Futility is futile

Hopelessness is pointless

Nothing matters, nothing at all, nothing ... except God.

O Lord help me to keep my eyes fixed on my only hope beyond hopelessness and my only point beyond pointlessness.

You alone are the Lord

You alone are God

Oh my Momma I miss you so so so so much

Oh my God I beg you ... please please please ... take good care of my good Momma ...

And by Your Grace

Be of good mercy to her ... and to me ...

now and at the hour of my death ...

as at the hour of hers ...

I love you Momma

I love you God

Charles Delacroix
Wednesday in Week 1 in Ordinary Time