Curious Christian

This morning, as I was reading Ecclesiastes, I found myself reflecting on the contrast between Zen “emptiness” and Christian “fullness”, especially as Paul describes it in Colossians. There’s a certain wisdom in recognizing the emptiness of life when it lacks meaning, but what struck me is how Paul insists that true fullness is found in Christ.

In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul writes, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.” There’s a completeness here, a kind of overflowing wholeness that stands in contrast to the transient, fleeting nature of life described in Ecclesiastes.

Zen often speaks of emptiness—not necessarily as nihilism, but as a letting go, a release from attachment. In contrast, Christianity doesn’t just call us to release illusions but to be filled—not with distractions or temporary pleasures, but with Christ himself. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16), Paul says, as if to remind us that fullness isn’t just an abstract idea; it’s something we can actually live into.

So I suppose the real question is: what are we empty of, and what are we full of? Maybe Ecclesiastes and Colossians aren’t so much in tension as they are two sides of the same truth. One recognizing the void, the other offering its fulfillment.