Daily Readings - Mon Oct 01 2018
Job
6One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.7The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."8Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."9"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied.10"Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.11But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."12The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.13One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house,14a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,15and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"16While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"17While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"18While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house,19when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"20At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship21and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."22In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
Luke
46An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.47Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him.48Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all--he is the greatest."49"Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."50"Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound lessons that invite us to reflect on our faith and our relationship with God. The first reading from Job presents us with a man whose unwavering trust in God is tested through immense suffering. Job loses everything—his children, his possessions, his health—and yet, he does not curse God. Instead, he humbly acknowledges God's sovereignty, saying, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Job's story reminds us that true faith is not about avoiding suffering but about trusting God even in the midst of it.
The Gospel reading from Luke offers a complementary lesson. Jesus teaches His disciples about the nature of greatness, using a child as an example. He emphasizes that true greatness is found in humility and service, not in power or status. Jesus also addresses the disciples' tendency to exclude others, reminding them that anyone who does good in His name is a friend, not a foe. This teaching challenges us to move beyond our own biases and rivalries, embracing a spirit of inclusion and unity.
Together, these readings call us to live with humility and trust. Like Job, we are invited to trust God even when life doesn't make sense, knowing that His ways are not our ways. Like the disciples, we are called to let go of our need to be "greater" and instead serve others with humility. In a world often driven by competition and division, these readings remind us that true greatness lies in surrendering our pride and trusting in God's plan. May we, like Job, bless God's name in all circumstances, and may we, like the disciples, learn to see the good in others and welcome them into our lives.