Commentary of the Gospell

septiembre 22, 2022

Meaning(lessness) in Life

When life is seen as pure chance (as we saw yesterday), everything in life becomes meaningless and depressing. It is this sense of meaninglessness and depression that we find in the words of the author of Ecclesiastes (first reading). But if we dig deeper, we will truly find not only that life has meaning, but also that it is the very vocation of a human being to discover this meaning. Viktor Frankl, who survived the Nazi Auschwitz and saw in person how many victims in the concentration camps found meaning amidst their suffering, concludes thus: “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.” 

Paulson Veliyannoor, CMF - Claretian Publications Philippines