Nothing is new under the sun

In the bottom right corner of this photo is my grandfather, George Hessler.  This photo is from a Marydale Retreat which happened approximately 50 years ago and probably consisted of parishioners from St. Paul's Parish.  

Now in July, 2022, I look at this image and see something I hadn't realized before.  My grandfather is pictured along with the grandfather's of my sister-in-law Kelly and brother-in-law Mark.  I suspect that as I continue to study the faces and names in the image, more connections will emerge.  I am confident that these men had no idea that one day their children's children would be related to one another.  

Recently I've been participating in the "Bible in a Year" podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz of Ascension Presents.  Yesterday we started the book of Ecclesiastes which includes verses about King Solomon's vanity.  Fr. Mike states that the word vanity as translated in the Bible is probably more closely translated to the word vapor to help us understand the writer's meaning.  He points out that vapor exists for a very short time and then disappears.  He continues to explain that the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes is calling us to recognize that if we live for the things of this world, we will never be satisfied for as it is written in Ecclesiastes Chapter 1, Verse 8 "The eye is not satisfied by seeing nor has the ear enough of hearing."  He goes on to reflect that some day your decedents will no longer remember your name or know anything about you.  So if everything will fade away, Fr. Mike suggests that we must concentrate on those things that are eternal such as our relationship with God.  

I'm sure these men on this retreat had a relationship with God and they probably felt very close to him after this weekend together.  I'm sure at that stage in their lives they had a variety of pursuits that were worldly or mundane as they strived to provide for their families.  It is amazing to me that even though we're reflecting on this single image 50 years later, this photo and this retreat still serves a purpose of reminding us about how great God's love is for us.  How eternal his word is yesterday, today and forever.