If these readings do not trouble you, then your head is buried in the sand, or elsewhere. Our culture, our civilization, our very lives are nothing more than the pursuit of vanities. They might help our time here to pass more pleasantly, but they will soon crumble to dust, never to be remembered. Just look around you. We have been graced with the ability to know the beauty, wonder, and glory of Creation. But we choose to spend our days chasing wealth, conflict, and amusement. We choose the path of the fool. It need not be this way, however. "Seek what is above." We can choose to let go of vanity, bit by bit, drop by drop, until nothing remains except something wonderful. We may be called fools, just as our crucified Brother was. But if we are to be fools one way or the other, then let us be fools "rich in what matters to God." And as much we might like to play dumb, to pretend we are ignorant of such riches or confused as to where to find them, we are not. Love. Love your Parent, your neighbor, yourself. Love. It really is that simple. Do not let vanity tell you otherwise.