Daily Readings - Sat Oct 05 2024
Job
1Then Job, responding to the Lord, said:2I know that you are able to do all things, and that no thoughts are hidden from you3So, who is it that would disguise a lack of knowledge as counsel? Therefore, I have been speaking foolishly, about things whose measure exceeds my knowledge5By paying attention with the ear, I have heard you, but now my eye sees you6Therefore, I find myself reprehensible, and I will do penance in embers and ashes12And the Lord blessed the latter end of Job even more than his beginning. And he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand pairs of oxen, and a thousand she-donkeys13And he had seven sons and three daughters15And, in the whole world, there were not found women so beautiful as the daughters of Job. And so their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers16But Job lived long after these events, for a hundred and forty years, and he saw his children, and his children’s children, all the way to the fourth generation,17and he died an old man and full of days.
Luke
17Then the seventy-two returned with gladness, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us, in your name.18And he said to them: "I was watching as Satan fell like lightning from heaven19Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the powers of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you20Yet truly, do not choose to rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.21In the same hour, he exulted in the Holy Spirit, and he said: "I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent, and have revealed them to little ones. It is so, Father, because this way was pleasing before you22All things have been delivered to me by my Father. And no one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and those to whom the Son has chosen to reveal him.23And turning to his disciples, he said: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see24For I say to you, that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things that you see, and they did not see them, and to hear the things that you hear, and they did not hear them.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on humility, trust in God, and the true source of our joy. In the first reading from the Book of Job, we see Job’s profound humility in the face of suffering and divine mystery. After enduring immense trials, Job acknowledges the limits of his understanding and the vastness of God’s wisdom. He repents not because he has done wrong, but because he recognizes the awe-inspiring power and knowledge of the Lord. This humility leads to his ultimate blessing, as God restores his life abundantly. The passage reminds us that true wisdom lies in acknowledging our smallness before God and trusting in His providence.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches His disciples about the nature of joy and spiritual victory. The seventy-two disciples return from their mission elated because they have cast out demons in Jesus’ name. But Jesus redirects their focus: their true joy should not come from their power over evil spirits, but from the fact that their names are written in heaven. He then praises the Father for revealing divine truths to the “little ones” rather than the wise and powerful. This teaching underscores the importance of humility and childlike faith. It is not our accomplishments or strengths that bring us closest to God, but our willingness to depend on Him and recognize our need for His grace.
These readings call us to reevaluate where we place our trust and joy. Like Job, we may face trials or uncertainties, but we are invited to respond with humility and faith. Like the disciples, we may achieve things in life, but our ultimate fulfillment comes from knowing that we belong to God and that our names are “written in heaven.” Let us cultivate a spirit of humility and gratitude, recognizing that true joy flows from our relationship with God. May we trust in His plan, even when we do not fully understand it, and may we find contentment in the knowledge that we are loved and called by Him.