Word to the Wise
Monday, September 26, 2016 - Monday in the 26th Week in Ordinary Time
[Job 1:6-22 and Luke 9:46-50]"Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!" In all this Job id not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God. [Job]
When one approaches one of the greatest pieces of literature in human history, it has to be with respect and awe. This is certainly true of the Book of Job. Even those who do not regard the Bible as the word of God will admit that Job merits a place in the hall of great literature. But for those of us who see this book as the work of the Holy Spirit, Job becomes more than literature. With Job, we confront the mystery of evil and suffering head-on and, like Job, come away with no answers - only the assurances of God's providence. I urge the Beloved Congregation to read the whole book and each ask his or her own questions.
Today's passage sets the stage. Disaster after disaster strikes Job until he is left isolated, sitting on a dunghill, covered with sores. All of this appears to be the result of a wager between God and Satan. Satan's contention is that Job is faithful to God because it is in his own best material interests. God's contention is that Job is faithful and does well because of that. Indeed, at the end of the book, God restores Job's fortunes. But in between lies the incredible drama of human efforts to understand evil and suffering. As we will see, one of Job's greatest sufferings comes from his so-called "friends" who try to get him to admit that it is all his fault that he is suffering. Job, however, retains his claim of "innocence" and integrity even if he has to shout at God about it.
We have all asked the question, "Why me? Why him/her? Why them?" Job will challenge us to ask those questions again. AMEN
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