Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: September 24,2026

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text:   Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

What profit has man for all his labor as he toils under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world stays forever. The sun rises and the sun sets, then it presses on to the place where it rises. Blowing now to the south, then to the north, the wind turns again and again, continuing its rounds.  All rivers flow to the sea, yet the sea never grows full. To the place where they go, the rivers keep flowing.

All speech is labored; there is nothing one can say. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor is the ear satisfied with hearing. What has been, will be; what has been done, will be done. There is nothing new under the sun. The things we say, “See, this is new!” have already existed before us. There is no remembrance of the former things, nor shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

MEDITATIO - Meditate on text, allow the LORD to touch us with His Word:

Do I recognize fully that without the LORD in my journey and in my life, I will gain no ground nor real meaning?

BREAKING OPEN THE TEXT:

The first reading from Ecclesiastes reminds us of human nature and worldly ambitions that without the power and presence of the LORD will not change. We will only find fulfillment in relationship with our LORD.

ORATIO – Lifting our minds and hearts to the LORD in prayer:

LORD, Source of all being, love itself, we come to You aware that without You our journeys will take us nowhere and our efforts will bring us nothing that is lasting. Stir within us, within our minds and hearts, so that we may set down freely the vanities of human hubris and pick up in its stead a desire to prayerfully discern your will and the joy to labor for love of You and one another. Be our refuge in this world and our destination when our time here ceases. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

CONTEMPLATIO – Sitting with the LORD in silence for a minute or more