Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
What a contrast we see between today’s two readings. Job’s character and faith are questioned by the Devil. God permits Job to lose most of his family and his possessions. Yet Job refuses to curse the Lord. “We accept good things from the Lord. Should we not accept evil?”
The disciples, on the other hand, are busy squabbling about who is the greatest among them. Talk about misplaced priorities! Jesus shows them a better way. He “knew the intention of their hearts.” He told to receive a child in His name, and then they would receive the one who sent Him, which is His Father obviously.
Job had a child-like trust in God. He refused to curse God. He trusted in the midst of his trials. This whole week we will hear from the Book of Job. Job’s example is one of child-like trust and love of God. If Job could speak to us person to person right now, he probably would tell us to love God in hard times and in good times. He went from being one of the greatest to being one of the least. This makes him blessed in God’s eyes for “the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest” (Lk 9:50).
We all have days like Job did today where everything seems to go wrong. One thing after another falls apart and shakes our resolve. We don’t know what to do. In these times we must turn to God and ask for His firm guidance. It may seem God abandoned Job, but He did not. God is not against you when you suffer. And, “whoever is not against you is for you.”
Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources