Robert Barron - All Things Must Pass (11/17/2025)
Drawing from Ecclesiastes, Colossians, and Jesus’ parable of the rich fool, the preacher reminds us that everything in this world passes away and cannot be our final source of happiness. The conclusion is clear: only what is rooted in God—faith, hope, and above all love—endures, so we must hold this world lightly and fix our hearts on what is above.
Introduction: Detachment as a Spiritual Theme
Peace be with you, friends. Our readings for this 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time are marvelous. They center around a theme that is fundamental to the spiritual life: detachment. I want to delve into it by referencing a song. I often go on long car trips now in my diocese, traveling from Wisconsin to South Dakota.So, I spend a lot of time in the car, listening to audiobooks. Audiobooks—I’m dating myself. I have my iPhone, and I ask for music. As you know, I’m a big Bob Dylan fan. However, after Bob Dylan, I probably like the Beatles the best, along with classic rock like the Rolling Stones, The Who, and Van Morrison.
That’s my thing. Well, these machines learn our preferences. Since I’ve constantly requested Beatles songs, now I find that almost every time I ask for a song, the second or third one that comes up is George Harrison’s song, “All Things Must Pass.”
Of course, for the younger kids, ask your grandparents about George Harrison—he was one of the Beatles. Right after the Beatles broke up, Harrison released a marvelous double album called “All Things Must Pass.” The title song is rooted in his Hindu interest and reflects on the essence of everything in the world.
“All Things Must Pass”
All things must pass. The sunset doesn’t last all evening, and the nighttime doesn’t last forever. Then comes the great chorus: all things must pass. All things must pass away. It’s interesting—I hear that song so often now. I’ve gone home and picked up my guitar.I’m not a great guitar player, just a campfire guitarist, but I can play songs and chords. I looked up “All Things Must Pass,” and I noticed that as it transitions into the chorus, instead of a major chord that draws everyone in, it moves to a B minor chord.
That gives it a moody quality: all things must pass, all things must pass away. Almost every major philosopher and religious figure has intuited this truth. Yes, there are good things in the world, but they don’t last. A beautiful sunset lasts a while, and then it’s gone.
Our meal, which we enjoy immensely, vanishes in minutes. A great conversation with a friend eventually comes to an end. Perhaps most poignantly, it’s with music. Unlike a sculpture you can see for a long time, music comes and goes. The notes flow past you, and then it’s over.
All things must pass. All things must pass away. That’s life.
Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Vanity
With George Harrison in mind, look at our first reading from Ecclesiastes. “Vanity of vanities,” says Qoheleth. “Vanity of vanities. All things are vanity.” Qoheleth, from the Hebrew, means something like the assemblyman, often identified with King Solomon.Think of Solomon, the wisest, richest, and most powerful figure of his time. His conclusion: all things must pass. Vanity of vanities. The Hebrew word behind vanity is “hevel,” meaning something like wind or a bubble. All things are like a bubble, beautiful for a moment, and then gone.
Think of a bubble floating there. You admire it, the colors shimmering on its surface, and then suddenly it disappears. All things pass away. All things pass away.
Much of Ecclesiastes specifies this idea with example after example. Someone labors with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, yet must leave everything to another who did not labor for it. A whole life spent chasing property and riches, and then your life is over.
The psalmist says life is like a sigh. Anyone old enough knows how quickly it passes. You’ve spent all this energy, and what happens to the stuff you piled up? It goes to someone else. All things must pass. All things must pass away.
“What profit comes to man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun?” All his days are sorrow and grief. Even at night his mind is not at rest. This too is vanity.
Paul’s Call to Look Above
You might ask, “Am I left in despair? What’s the point of life?” No, no, no. Listen to St. Paul in our second reading, from Colossians. “If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. This is not a despairing flight from the world. It’s not saying this life is worthless. Rather, it’s recognizing that nothing in this world finally lasts. Therefore, wear this world lightly. Don’t cling to it.
Don’t think it’s going to make you happy. It’s like those cottonwood seeds floating in the air. If you try to grab one, the act of grabbing pushes it away. Appreciate this world. Love it. But don’t cling to it.
Enjoy the sunset. Enjoy your home. Enjoy honors for a moment, and then let them go. Where should your eyes be fixed? On what is above—the realm of God, the permanent things, the will of God. Fix your heart there.
Then you can enjoy this world without desperation, knowing your treasure is in heaven. Your ultimate goal is union with God, who does not pass away.
The Gospel and the Rich Fool
Now consider the Gospel. Jesus tells a parable about a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He decides to tear down his barns and build bigger ones, storing up goods for many years, saying, “Eat, drink, and be merry.”This is someone clinging desperately to the world, convinced that possessions will satisfy him. But God says, “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—to whom will they belong?”
There it is. A whole life spent storing up goods, and then it’s gone. Thus it will be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.
What Truly Lasts
So what matters to God? Love. God is love, and heaven is where love abounds. As Cardinal George said, the only things we take into heaven are the things we’ve given away on earth. He means the attitude of self-giving—that’s the substance of heaven.Paul tells us there are three things that last: faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is love. In heaven, faith gives way to sight, hope is fulfilled, but love remains.
So listen to George Harrison. Read Ecclesiastes. They’re making the same point. All things must pass. What lasts is love, the things of heaven, what is above. Fix the eyes of your soul there, and you’ll find the treasure you’re truly looking for. And God bless you.