Friday 30th September 2022. Read Job 38:1,12-21,40:3-5, Ps. 139:1-3,7-10,13-14, Luke 10:13-16
“Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.” (Luke 10:13)
There are people that God is not happy with. First, those who traded in the temple. Jesus overturned the money changers' tables and drove their animals away. “Don’t you know my house shall be a house of prayer? But you have turned it into a den of robbers.” (Mt. 21:13, Mk 11:17).
Note that these traders were not merely buying and selling, they were literally ripping off pilgrims who came to the temple to pray, that is, they were taking advantage of their faith. Have I turned God’s temple into a business center? Then God is not happy with me.
Second, the people who doubt God’s power. Jesus was in his hometown and the people were murmuring: “Is this not the Carpenter’s son?” (Mark 6:2). Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith and he could not work miracles there. Have I stopped believing in God? Do I think prayers are just a waste of time now? God is not happy with me.
Third, those who have faith strong enough to receive miracles but lack the courage to repent of their sins. Jesus said: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.” (Luke 10:13). Do I believe in only receiving from God and I do not make efforts to drop my baggage of sins? God is not happy with me.
Here is the bitter truth: the ultimate goal of Jesus is not to work miracles, put food on your table, bless you in abundance, and so on. These things should never be considered the essence of our relationship with God. The ultimate goal of Jesus is your salvation (to be united with Him forever in heaven). Hence, he said to us: “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
The story of Job shows us that regardless of our righteousness, we cannot escape seasons of crisis. As we earlier noted, the book of Job is a purely theological work, not a historical novel. In today’s reading, we hear God speaking to Job. Indeed, when we step back to consider the vastness of creation, we cannot but see that our problems are very tiny, so tiny that they are like grains of sand compared to what God has done.
Job answered: “Behold I am of small account…I lay my hand on my mouth.” In other words, I will not complain anymore. Bad days will come, learn to close your mouth and trust God.
Let us pray: Lord God, give us the grace to live authentic Christian lives. Through Christ our Lord. Amen
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saint Jerome, Priest, Doctor. Bible Study: Job 38:1,12-21,40:3-5, Ps. 139:1-3,7-10,13-14, Luke 10:13-16).
© Rev. Fr. Evaristus Abu
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