Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(Job 1:6-22; Luke 9:46-50)
Spiritual directors will challenge seekers to accept life’s setbacks
as trials. They may tell a woman whose
husband has left her or a family man who has lost his job that God isn’t indifferent
to their needs. Much less, of course,
would they allow seekers to think that God doesn’t exist. Today’s first reading shows how a man of
faith copes with the tremendous hardships that suddenly oppress him.
Job is presented as the consummate seeker. His strong faith in God’s goodness enables him
to accept a series of enormous losses. As
the story progresses, Job will continue to suffer. Although he does not acknowledge it, the
story forthrightly says that God is testing Job. Job knows that he is innocent of wrongdoing
that might bring on such suffering. He
will only ask to speak with God so that he might understand his predicament.
Job, ever faithful to the Lord, will not be
disappointed. God will grant him a colloquy
in which He will explain His ways. Beyond
informing us of God’s divine majesty, the story assures us of God’s individual
care. He will answer the cries of those
who call to him in faith.
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