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Readers who regard the author Qoheleth as a gloomy fellow might be surprised by the title of Michael Casey’s latest work. But, as Fr. Casey notes, “despite his robust iconoclasm, he is not a world-denier. His central point is, quite simply: Make the most of your life as it is, because it is the only one you will ever have. . . . This means being mindful of the present moment and its potential. . . . If we cannot love the reality we see, any love we profess toward what is unseen must be considered delusional. Our life is all that we have; there is no chance of a rehearsal. So, let’s get on with it.”
Examining key themes in Ecclesiastes—vanity, God, wisdom, hard times, good times—Fr. Casey shows how they all build to a constant message of hope by living truly in the present.
“Casey reflects on Qoheleth’s reflections on life through the lens of the well-known expression carpe diem, which he renders ‘make haste to pick the fruit now, tomorrow is uncertain.’ The yield produced here is rich indeed.”
—Diane Bergant Catholic Theological Union
A Cistercian monk of Tarrawarra Abbey, Australia, Michael Casey, OCSO, holds degrees in Scripture from Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven and Melbourne College of Divinity. He has conducted formation programs, retreats, and workshops in every continent, except Antarctica.
