Today I’d like to begin with a famous quote from one of the living legends of comedy of my era. I want to see if you can guess who it is. A few of his roles were in “Ace Ventura, Pet Detective”, “Bruce Almighty”, “Liar, Liar”, and perhaps the greatest movie that he has ever left to us, “Dumb and Dumber.” Anyone know who it is? Jim Cary, at least for me one of the legends of our era. Jim Cary, who was at the peak of his success and the peak of his career, walked away from it all. And when interviewers would ask him why he walked away and went on to painting and other things that he was doing, this is what he said. “I think everybody should be rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so that they could see that it is not the answer.” I wish everybody could be rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of to realize that it is not the answer.” Isn’t that amazing?
Qoheleth, that we hear in the first reading, is not only pondering things, fantasies like what is going to make him happy, he actually tries everything to see if it will make him happy. We hear about this later on in the chapter, and I want to read to you a few of the verses and what he tries. First of all, he says, “I said in my heart, let me try with pleasure and enjoyment of all the good things.” He set out, he’s going to try to fill himself with all the pleasure, enjoyment and all the good things in life that he can experience. He says, “First I tried laughter and mirth, and then I realized, this is mad, what good does it do?” Then he says, “I probed my mind to seek out, what if I try wine and take up with folly.” Basically, get drunk and party. He tries that, and what does he realize? Didn’t satisfied him. Then he goes, “What if I undertake great worth? I’m going to try this. I’m going to build myself a huge mansion with beautiful land, vineyards, gardens, parks and all kinds of fruit trees.” He had the house that he dreamed of, the property that he dreamed of, and what happened? He found emptiness. Then he said, “What if I had slaves, servants, people that would do everything that I wanted them to do, and also that I owned everything that I ever needed. All the cattle and sheep. More than anyone ever owned.” And he got them all and he found himself unsatisfied. “What if I amassed silver and gold, and the treasures of kings and I provided for myself male and female singers and delights with many men and women,” and by the women there he meant something bad, “what if I bought all of this and had all of this for myself.” Emptiness. “Nothing that my eyes desired or did I ever see that I denied them. Nor did I deprive myself of any joy. Rather I took in everything, I tried everything, and what I discovered was vanity. All is vanity. Nothing brings happiness in this world.”
I think about Jim Cary’s line. “I wish that everybody could be rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of.” If you could be rich and famous and do what your deepest dream would be, what would that be? I think that would be a great thing for you to pray about this week. To spend your 15 minutes daily in prayer and try to fantasize about what it would be if you were rich, famous and do anything that you wanted to do. And then, ask the Holy Spirit to see what God wants you to see.
There’s a difference between fantasizing and imagining. Fantasizing is when we go off in our own minds and we try to think about what’s going to please us or make us happy in this life. Fantasizing is like, “God, you stay over here, and I’m going to find what makes me happy. When we fantasize, it brings about emptiness. But it’s good to at least think about our fantasies. What do I fantasize about, and Holy Spirit, can you help me to see why that is vanity.
Instead of fantasizing, can we together with God imagine our lives? God, what is the life that you desire for me? What are the dreams that you have for me? What is it that you want me to do with my life? In fantasizing we find that all is vanity. We find that none of it will bring us happiness. But when we imagine with the Holy Spirit, we will discover joy right here on earth.
Take time to realize what your fantasies are, then ask God to reveal to you his image for your life. “I think everybody should get rich and famous, and do everything that they ever dreamed of so they can see that it is not the answer.
