Daily Readings - Tue Oct 01 2024
Job
1After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.2And Job said:3"Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, 'A man is conceived.'11"Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?12Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?13For then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,14with kings and counselors of the earth who rebuilt ruins for themselves,15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.16Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light?17There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.20"Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,21who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,22who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave?23Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
Luke
51When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.52And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.53But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.54And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"55But he turned and rebuked them.56And they went on to another village.
Sermon
The readings today present us with two powerful images of suffering and response. In the first reading from Job, we hear the anguished cry of a man who has lost everything—his family, his health, and his livelihood. Job curses the day he was born, expressing the deep bitterness and despair that can come when we face immense pain and feel abandoned by God. Yet, even in his suffering, Job does not turn away from God; instead, he cries out to Him, seeking some understanding of his plight. This is a profound act of faith, for it shows that even in the darkest moments, we can still address God, even if our words are filled with anger or confusion.
In the Gospel, we see Jesus facing rejection as He journeys toward Jerusalem. The Samaritans refuse to welcome Him because He is heading toward the holy city, a place they likely viewed with resentment. When His disciples, James and John, suggest calling down fire from heaven to punish the Samaritans, Jesus rebukes them, reminding them that He has come not to destroy but to save. This exchange highlights the central mission of Jesus: to bring salvation through love and mercy, not through vengeance or retaliation. It also challenges us to reflect on how we respond to rejection or harm. Do we seek revenge, or do we choose to love and forgive?
These readings invite us to consider how we handle suffering and rejection in our own lives. Like Job, we may feel overwhelmed by pain or injustice, and it’s natural to question God’s plan. But Job’s example teaches us that even in the midst of suffering, we can turn to God in honesty and trust. Similarly, Jesus shows us that our response to harm should be shaped by mercy and compassion, not anger or retaliation. As we navigate our own struggles and encounters with rejection, let us remember that God is always with us, even in the darkness, and that we are called to imitate Christ by choosing love over vengeance. May we trust in God’s plan, even when it’s hard to understand, and may we strive to reflect His mercy in all we do.