 |
| “The Patient Job” by Gerard Seghers, c. 1620 |
Reading 1: Job
7:1-4, 6-7
Is not man's life on earth a
drudgery?
Are not his days those of
hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for
the shade,
a hireling who waits for his
wages.
So I have been assigned
months of misery,
and troubled nights have been
allotted to me.
If in bed I say, "When
shall I arise?"
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness
until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a
weaver's shuttle;
they come to an end without
hope.
Remember that my life is like
the wind;
I shall not see happiness
again.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jb 7:1-4, 6-7
Job is responding in the
first of several exchanges between himself and his “friends”, lamenting the
terrible situation that has befallen him.
His friend Eliphaz has just commented in an optimistic way about Job’s
possible future, having been surprised that Job felt that his life should just
end instead of hoping for restored health and prosperity. To his friends comments Job responds with
both logic and poetry. This selection is
part of his first Soliloquy.
In this selection Job first
compares life on earth to military service (drudgery being derived from that
environment). He complains of the
boredom, servitude and pain – without hope of respite; indeed, he concludes,
with no hope whatsoever.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (cf. 3a) Praise the Lord, who heals the
brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, for he is
good;
sing praise to our God, for
he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem
the dispersed of Israel
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the
stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.
Great is our Lord and mighty
in power;
to his wisdom there is no
limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the
ground.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
Alleluia.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
This hymn of praise anticipates the coming of the
Messiah who restores what is lost and, again, gives hope to the poor, upon whom
he lavishes special blessings; "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
If I preach the gospel, this
is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been
imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not
preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have
a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I
have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach,
I offer the gospel free of
charge
so as not to make full use of
my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in regard
to all,
I have made myself a slave to
all
so as to win over as many as
possible.
To the weak I became weak, to
win over the weak.
I have become all things to
all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of
the gospel,
so that I too may have a
share in it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark
1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue
he (Jesus) entered the house
of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon's mother-in-law lay
sick with a fever.
They immediately told him
about her.
He approached, grasped her
hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and
she waited on them.
When it was evening, after
sunset,
they brought to him all who
were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered
at the door.
He cured many who were sick
with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak
because they knew him.
Rising very early before
dawn, he left
and went off to a deserted
place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with
him pursued him
and on finding him said,
"Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go
on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I
come."
So he went into their
synagogues,
preaching and driving out
demons throughout the whole of Galilee .
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 1:29-39
Jesus comes to the house of Simon (Peter) and Andrew from Capernaum. He continues to heal the sick and to cast out demons. This episode is somewhat different in that it occurs in a private setting attended by the three privileged disciples. Scholars speculate that this, like other such accounts (Mark 4:10, 34; 5:37-40; 6:31-32) is an eyewitness report of the Lord’s revelation in the privacy of a home setting.
It is noteworthy that Mark tells us that as Jesus cast out demons, but “not permitting them to speak because they knew him.” Demons presumably had supernatural powers and were therefore able to recognize the nature of Jesus. Because of this he silenced them. He did so, it is proposed, because he needed to show the people (and his disciples) that he was not the “Royal Messiah”, but something unexpected.[4]
The Gospel tells us that the Lord then went off to a deserted place to pray and it was only when Simon and his companions came and found him that he continued his mission of proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homily:
Don’t blame it on the
Groundhog! There was a story in the news
this past week about a groundhog in Wisconsin that, when asked by the mayor of
the town, if there would be an early spring, bit the mayor. We are not sure if it bit the mayor because
the question put the groundhog put it in a “no-win” situation or if it simply
didn’t like politicians. In point of
fact, winter in these temperate regions, with its cloudy skies and short days,
is reported to be one of the most depressing periods of time in the calendar
year. It is a time when we need to hear
a message of hope. Today, we find that
message in God’s word, but we also must be aware there is another voice active
in our world. We find traces of that
message as well.
Let us begin, as scripture
did, by looking at Job. In the first
reading he is responding to a friend who has chastised him for being so
pessimistic about his plight. Job had
burdened his friends with a description of his situation so desperate that life
was not worth continuing. Eliphaz in his
turn had reminded Job of his goodness and piety; telling him that God would surely
not destroy the just person.
Still, Job had lost all his
extensive possessions, he had lost his sons and daughters and he had lost even
his health, being afflicted by Satan with horrible boils to a point where his
friends did not even recognize him. His
hopelessness is summed up in the final statement: “Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again.”
Does Job sound familiar? Haven’t we all heard a person beg the
question “Why do bad things happen to good people?” The answer to that question is, in part also
provided in the Book of Job. For those
who are not familiar with the story, Job was a wealthy man. He had extensive flocks and herds of animals
and a large family with seven sons and three daughters. We are told he lived a devout life and
followed God’s commandments without fail.
The Lord God, was pleased
with Job but Satan challenged God saying that it was easy for Job to be
faithful and devout, look at the blessings God had given him. To this God responded that Satan could take
away all that Job had, he just could not touch Job himself. God was confident that Job would remain
faithful. With that Satan proceeded to
strip Job of all his possessions and even caused his children to die. In response, Job mourned all that passed but
did not blaspheme against God.
Again God said how proud he
was of his servant Job and again Satan said to God – of course he remains
faithful, his own life is not at risk.
To prove Satan wrong God told Satan that he could strike Job, he just
could not kill him. That is when Job was
afflicted with the boils and that is where we find him in the first
reading. This factor alone does not
fully explain why bad things happen to good people. Our loving God is not capricious; he does not
sit around making wagers with the Evil One.
The point made in Job is rather that the Satan does exist as a force in
the world
A major contributing factor in
this question and in life is in the creation story itself. God created us, we are told “in our (his) image, after our likeness “(Genesis
1:26). In creating our race, he gave
all of us, good and bad alike, the ability to make choices. These choices are the driving force that
supplies the rest of the answer to that question; why bad things happen to good
people. We live in a crowded world and,
as the day of Job, Satan is in the world “…roaming
the earth and patrolling it."
The balance of sacred
scripture with which we are confronted today provides our response to the
difficulties and setbacks we face in the world today. Job’s was a response that seemed to have no
hope (at this point in the tail, the story does have a good ending). Our response is founded in Christ, God’s Son,
who came into the world so that we would know God’s love and consolation. It was through Christ, who we see in St.
Mark’s Gospel, that healing and forgiveness came into the world.
The author of the book of Job
envisioned the battle between good and evil, between God and Satan. The story teaches perseverance in the face of
tragedy and fidelity to God even when it seems that God has deserted us. Christ comes as an image of that love. He brings us the hope that lifts us up and
the strength to help others similarly afflicted. This message of hope and love is one sorely
needed in today’s climate.
Today is World Marriage Day. With the backdrop of Scripture which sets the stage with drudgery from Job and demons from St. Mark, it is not an encouraging for Marriage. However in this secular environment it is perhaps appropriate. The very definitions of marriage and family are being attacked from all sides. They are attacked by the media, in social networks, in the schools and workplaces. Those who hold with traditional values of marriage and family are bullied and called names in a remarkable environment of intolerance.
At such times we as Church must hold up as shining examples those couples who witness the sacramental bond of marriage. We recall that the image and faithful witness of those joined in the holy bond of marriage, loving and supporting each other, seeking first the happiness of their spouse is an image of the Lord’s love of his bride- the Church. The example they provide for us and especially for their children is crucial in passing on the values of mutual and lasting fidelity important to nurturing the faith and ongoing evangelization.
As many of you know, this coming September there will be a Synod in Rome focused on Marriage and Family. The media has latched on to the image they have created of Pope Francis as a “radical reformer” and have set expectations that the Synod will change Church Teaching on Marriage. If you listen carefully, you should know that the Church and our Pontiff firmly hold to the magisterial teaching about marriage which is biblically based and has been in place since the beginnings of the Church. The media may predict a radical change. Let me assure you, it’s not going to happen.
We are called to proclaim
Christ’s Gospel of salvation like St.
Paul
Today we see in Job the
depths to which calamity can bring us.
We see also the hope that comes through Christ who walks with us always
and carries us in the worst of times. We
must remember that great gift. It was
with great sacrifice that he brought it to us.
Pax
In other years on this date: Optional
Memorial for Saint Jerome Emiliani, Priest
OR: Optional Memorial for Saint Josephine
Bakhita, Virgin. Alternate texts may be taken from
the Common
of Virgins; Biographical
Information about St. Josephine Bakhita
[1]
ALTRE
[2]
The picture today is “The Patient Job” by Gerard Seghers, c. 1620
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and
is for private use only.
[4]
The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, ©
2002, pp. 230
No comments:
Post a Comment