Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
The epic saga of Job comes to an end today. Job goes onto repent of his questioning of God. He says that he knows God can do all things. Thus, Job is restored by the Lord and receives double the number of all the livestock and resources he lost before. The Book of Job is not easy to comprehend. Job did no wrong at first and then he lost everything. This is the same in real life. People lose everything and suffer tremendously even though they are innocent. They may not come out on top the way Job does in the end. What this writing shows us is that God is with us through it all. We must not give in to despair or hold on to anger. God is the true vindicator. Jesus will vindicate us in this life or the next. The Lord is our vindicator and redeemer.
We read from the Gospel of Luke today. The 72 disciples return and rejoice in their success. They say that “even the demons” are subject to them. Jesus doesn’t share in this enthusiasm for their success. He says that they should rejoice that “their names are numbered in Heaven.” Our greatest joy is to rejoice that we are called to eternal life in Heaven because of the “name” we believe in, the name of Jesus. We can enjoy the fruit of our labor. There is no harm in doing good work and enjoying the reward of honest labor.
The greatest joy is to take part in God’s plan, to participate in God’s saving action. Such is the “gracious will” that Jesus speaks of today. God has hidden from the wise and learned of the World the great wisdom that comes to the child-like. We can come to know this gracious will by trusting in the Lord the way Job did. Let us rejoice in the Lord this day, for we are so blessed to take part in His kingdom. Amen.
Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources