20160930 SEEING A BIGGER PICTURE KEEPS US IN PERSPECTIVE
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First reading
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Job
38:1,12-21,40:3-5 ©
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From the heart of the
tempest the Lord gave Job his answer. He said:
Have you ever in your
life given orders to the morning
or sent
the dawn to its post,
telling it to grasp
the earth by its edges
and shake
the wicked out of it,
when it changes the
earth to sealing clay
and dyes
it as a man dyes clothes;
stealing the light
from wicked men
and
breaking the arm raised to strike?
Have you journeyed
all the way to the sources of the sea,
or walked
where the Abyss is deepest?
Have you been shown
the gates of Death
or met
the janitors of Shadowland?
Have you an inkling
of the extent of the earth?
Tell me
all about it if you have!
Which is the way to the
home of the light,
and where
does darkness live?
You could then show
them the way to their proper places,
or put
them on the path to where they live!
If you know all this,
you must have been born with them,
you must
be very old by now!
Job replied to the
Lord:
My words have been
frivolous: what can I reply?
I had
better lay my finger on my lips.
I have spoken once...
I will not speak again;
more than
once... I will add nothing.
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Responsorial
Psalm
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Psalm
138:1-3,7-10,13-14 ©
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Lead me, O Lord, in
the path of life eternal.
O Lord, you search me
and you know me,
you know
my resting and my rising,
you
discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk
or lie down,
all my
ways lie open to you.
Lead me, O Lord,
in the path of life eternal.
O where can I go from
your spirit,
or where
can I flee from your face?
If I climb the
heavens, you are there.
If I lie
in the grave, you are there.
Lead me, O Lord,
in the path of life eternal.
If I take the wings
of the dawn
and dwell
at the sea’s furthest end,
even there your hand
would lead me,
your
right hand would hold me fast.
Lead me, O Lord,
in the path of life eternal.
For it was you who
created my being,
knit me
together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for the
wonder of my being,
for the
wonders of all your creation.
Lead me, O Lord,
in the path of life eternal.
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Gospel
Acclamation
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Ps144:13
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Alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord is faithful
in all his words
and loving in all his
deeds.
Alleluia!
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Or
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Ps94:8
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Harden not your hearts
today,
but listen to the
voice of the Lord.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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Luke 10:13-16 ©
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Jesus said to his
disciples: ‘Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the
miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented
long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. And still, it will not go as hard
with Tyre and Sidon at the Judgement as with you. And as for you, Capernaum,
did you want to be exalted high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell.
‘Anyone
who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those
who reject me reject the one who sent me.’
SEEING
A BIGGER PICTURE KEEPS US IN PERSPECTIVE
Most of
us like Job have been brought up within a religious tradition. Our faith
values and beliefs are dependent on that tradition. Whilst religious
tradition is important in shaping our faith in God, yet at times it does not
fit into every situation. Indeed, many of us question why the Church is
so strict when it comes to divorce and remarriage. There are many other
ethical issues or even Church disciplines that some of us cannot reconcile with
the mercy and love of God. Some have left the Church as they find the
Church too legalistic, dogmatic and ritualistic.
This
was the situation of Job. He was brought up in a religious tradition that
taught him that the good are rewarded by God and the bad are punished.
The doctrine of immediate retribution was very strong in the early part of the
Old Testament, which is dealt with in the Book of Ezekiel. One of the
sayings in those days was, “The parents eat sour grapes, and the
children’s teeth are set on edge.” In fact, there is a general belief in
the doctrine of Karma. You reap what you sow. This is what St
Paul also told the Christians in Galatians. “Do not be deceived; God is
not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Gal 6:7) Job was brought up in that
theology of immediate retribution in this life. Hence, we can appreciate
his inner struggle, seeking to reconcile his misfortunes with his innocence.
We can all surely empathize
with Job in the way he reacted towards God. Searching and examining his
life, in all conscience, he did nothing wrong to deserve the punishments he was
receiving. Indeed, he was a just and righteous man. He was
blameless and truly a law abiding Israelite. He was more than fair in his
dealings with others but was also generous with the poor. Even his
friends could not find anything that he had done wrong. Although most of
us cannot compare with the integrity of Job, on many occasions, we too have
been fair in our relationships with God and our fellowmen. We treat our
workers and our loved ones well. We provide for their welfare and pay
them a just salary. Yet, how often have we been cheated by them, or even
betrayed in spite of all the good we have selflessly done for them. In
such moments we feel like Job, that God has been unfair to us. We have
contributed so much to the Church all our lives and then He has permitted us to
suffer a terminal illness or taken away our spouse or children. When such
tragedies strike, then, like Job, we wonder where the justice of God is, since
we read so often in the bible, particularly in the psalms, that the righteous
man will be rewarded by God.
Right from the onset, we
must state clearly that the doctrine of immediate retribution cannot be applied
without qualification. Most times, retribution happens in this
life. If we do not work, we will be sacked; and if we do not study, we will
fail our exam. This is something expected and a principle based on
universal experience. However, it is also true that there are many
occasions when the unjust also seem to prosper as well whilst the good
suffer. This was how the psalmist felt too, “Surely God is good to
Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost
slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold for I envied the arrogant when I
saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles their bodies are
healthy and strong.” (Ps 73:1-4) Indeed, sometimes like the
psalmist we envy the evil and selfish people because they seem to be doing so
well even though they break all the commandments of God, whereas law-abiding
Christians like ourselves suffer the disadvantages of being true to our
principles. So we must not fall into the sin of presumption, as the
friends of Job did when they sought to find some hidden blemish in his life to
defend the justice of God. The fact was that Job’s suffering had nothing
to do with any wrong that he had done.
So where do we go from
here, when religious traditions do not agree with life experiences? We
are called to embrace the mystery of God’s love in the midst of a world that is
imperfect and sinful. Suffering will remain always a mystery regardless
how we try to explain it away or to make sense of it. Even God is not
exempted from suffering. So it is not just us who are suffering. Anyone
who loves will suffer. We suffer not just for ourselves but for our loved
ones. The answer to the question of suffering and evil is not a matter of
logic but a matter of embracing this profound mystery in faith and love. This
was the sin of Job.
What
was the sin of Job? Even though initially he claimed he had no sin, in
truth he did sin by questioning God’s wisdom and knowledge. He was so
proud and confident of himself to think that he could bring God to a trial and
show forth the lack of wisdom and justice in God. He had accused the Lord
of being unjust. With that limited knowledge of his, without being able
to see the big picture, Job was simply thinking about himself. He was too
presumptuous to think that he was able to understand everything. One
thing was that he was unaware of the reason why God permitted Satan to tempt
Job. This is so common even in daily life. Many of us are not happy with
our superiors and all those in authority for their decisions and management of
situations. That is why those in public service get the most complaints
because those who complain can only see the problem from their narrow
perspective. It is about “I, me and mine”. So when their
needs are not satisfied or their convenience is compromised, they will accuse
the authorities for not being responsible or caring, failing to realize that
there are many other factors and considerations to be taken in every decision.
Seeing things in
perspective and humbly admitting our ignorance is what is required of us, as
Job finally did. God did not defend Himself or explain His reasons for
what He did. He simply helped Job to know his place in the world.
God spoke through His creation. Where was Job when God created the
world? The point is that God in His wisdom and power created the universe.
Surely, He knows better how to manage this creation than anyone of us. We
cannot even bring a person to life or create life in any creature. So who
are we to question the wisdom of God, His justice and providence?
When Job came to realize his insolence of wanting to bring God to trial,
he became conscious of his sin. His sin was to question God and think he
knew better what to do. He doubted God’s justice and even suggested that
He was unjust and evil. He was deeply remorseful when challenged to see
the bigger picture of life and creation. He said, “My words have been
frivolous: what can I reply? I had better lay my finger on my lips. I have
spoken once…I will not speak again; more than once … I will add nothing.”
We are limited, finite and mortal. So all we can do is to bow down in
silence before the mystery of God’s creation and accept it in faith and love.
Yet, the irony is that when
we surrender ourselves to the providence of God and His divine will, we will
find peace. Like the psalmist, we are called to surrender in faith to God’s
will and plan for us. With the psalmist, we must pray, “O where can I go
from your spirit, or where can I flee from your face? If I climb the heavens,
you are there. If I lie in the grave, you are there. If I take the
wings of the dawn and dwell at the sea’s furthest end, even there your hand
would lead me; your right hand would hold me fast. For it was you who created
my being, knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you for the wonder of
my being, for the wonders of all your creation.” If we could pray this
prayer with faith, then like Job, we will once again experience His love and
blessings.
When our commitment to God
is dependent on circumstances and temporal favours, our faith remains
weak. Rather, we must follow Job in coming to realize our finiteness and
God’s incomprehensible wisdom. Let us be humble before God and
continue to respect and trust in Him even when we are suffering. We must
avoid falling like the inhabitants in Capernaum, condemned by the Lord for their
pride. We must not lack faith like those in Chorazin and Bethsaida who
did not recognize the marvels of God’s love and creation. So with faith
and humility, embracing God’s plan and His will, we will find peace and joy.
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