Word to the Wise
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 - Tuesday in the 26th Week in Ordinary Time
[Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23 and Luke 9:51-56]Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day. Job spoke out and said: "Perish the day on which I was born, the night when they said, 'The child is a boy!' Why did I not perish at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? [Job]
OCTOBER 1 ST. THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS, ocd
Today we have Job's initial reaction to the disasters that befell him as a result of evil forces that would test his faith. He certainly had cause to cry out. Everything precious to him had been taken away and his very body was inflicted head to toe with ulcers. His life was turned into the dungheap to which he was reduced. And this is just the beginning!! His "friends" will test him further!
We might ask ourselves how we have reacted to misfortune or terrible loss in our own lives - the loss of a loved one in a sudden accident or health crisis or to gun violence, or loss of employment, etc. Here in the USA there are no bombs or artillery shells falling on us as in the MIddle East or Ukraine, but there is loss reported daily in terrible mass shootings. Are we moved to curse the day we were born?
We cry out in pain first and then begin to do something that only humans can do. We look for a cause to explain and blame. This is what we have first from Job. He is crying out in pain. Reflection comes next and this, in itself, can be painful. We are on a difficult journey with him because his journey is like ours in so many ways. AMEN