Ecclesiastes 2:18-23. Ecclesiastes is one of the wisdom books. The author is called Qohelet (which translates as preacher), but the first line identifies the preacher as the son of David, King in Jerusalem, so this is the wisdom of Solomon. In this passage, the preacher explores the vanity of all our toil and labor throughout life to produce things that will only be left to future generations when we die, and worries those who gain the benefit of our work may not be wise. Will they use the products of our handiwork with wisdom and appreciation? There is no guarantee of that, so a slavish devotion to work is "vanity and a great evil." When we devote our lives only to our toil and labor and the products thereof, we are left vexed and our minds do not rest at night.

First, an aside. I totally relate to the "even in the night his mind does not rest" line. I used to be unable to sleep at night for worrying about everything - work, children, house, money, family, world - it was endless, and deprived me not only of sleep, but peace of mind. It was only when I began seeing my waking in the middle of the night as an opportunity for prayer - as God calling to me at a time when he had my complete attention, that I gained peace. It is so amazing that if we just look at what seems like a burden in a different light, we often get consolation, and the burden comes to be a blessing. My prayers in the night, usually the Rosary, are when I first started really "hearing" God - getting deep insights into myself, my faith, and many other things. As I continue it, I am more and more able to talk to and hear God in this time, and my waking in the night has become an absolute blessing. Only then can I give my mind and thoughts wholly to him without distraction!

This passage teaches us the proper place of work and labor in our lives and in our thoughts. When we are so obsessed with work and the products of our work, with our career, our standing, our position, we have made work an idol and we are not putting it in its proper place. Work is good and necessary for all of us (see 2 Thessalonians 3:10, "If any one will not work, let him not eat."), but must be done in the right frame of mind. Our work should be a labor of love. It is part of our participation in and dominion over this world, and is meant to serve God's purposes.

We should feel joy that the products of our work will be left to the next generation. We should be willing to sacrifice for our future descendants - that is love. The preacher here worries, instead, that those who come after will not appreciate his work or be wise enough to use it, so he calls it vanity. This shows the folly of making an idol of it - the work itself is not vanity, but this attitude is. If teachers, scientists, parents, priests, everyone, were not willing to work for the future and produce work that could and should be built on by future generations, humanity would never have gotten anywhere.

We should do our work with love of God and neighbor in mind, even future neighbor, and without worrying that others will not use it properly. God will take care of that. If we put work in its proper place, and do it as a labor of love, all of the worry and anxiety goes away.