Daily Readings - Sat Oct 05 2024
Job
1Then Job replied to the LORD:2"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.3You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.5My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.6Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."12The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.13And he also had seven sons and three daughters.15Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.16After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.17And so he died, old and full of years.
Luke
17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."18He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."21At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.22"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."23Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.24For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
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.