*****The Goal Is Our Starting Point

          In reading 1 from Ecclesiastes 1, we hear the familiar saying of David's son, Qoheleth: "Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!" In the Gospel reading from Luke 12, Jesus told the parable of the rich man to the crowd. A rich man had planned to tear down his barns and build larger ones to store his bountiful harvest. He thought he'd then have so many good things stored up for many years and he could just rest, eat, drink, and be merry! But God said to him, "You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?" 
     So how do we cease being vain and become detached from material possessions? To find the answer, we can work backwards. Since this is a spiritual problem, only God can remove such impediments. This would necessitate knowing God. And the only way to know him best is to seek union with him thru the Holy Eucharist. This leads us to surrendering ourselves to him completely. We have arrived at the endpoint, which is the starting point we've been looking for. In conclusion, seek to attain union with God and you'll have taken complete care of your spiritual life.