October 5, 2012

Friday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 459

A reading from the holy book of Job
Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5

We continue in the book of Job. After Job declared that he did not expect God to address him, God addresses him.

The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:

"out of the storm"-This is significant to me, because it seems that when I am going through spiritual storms in my life, that is when I turn to God. And that is when I feel closer to God.

Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning
and shown the dawn its place

God asks Job a rhetorical question. He asks, "Do you command the morning? Do you tell the sun where and when to rise?"

The point that God is making is that He alone knows everything and is in control of everything.

For taking hold of the ends of the earth,
till the wicked are shaken from its surface?

This is a reference to Noah's flood.

The earth is changed as is clay by the seal,
and dyed as though it were a garment;

This is a reference to night and day, winter and summer. All the times and seasons which God has built in to nature and which we don't control.

But from the wicked the light is withheld,
and the arm of pride is shattered.

This idea is more clearly presented in the NT:


1 Corinthians 2:13-14
King James Version (KJV)
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Have you entered into the sources of the sea,
or walked about in the depths of the abyss?
Have the gates of death been shown to you,
or have you seen the gates of darkness?
Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all:
Which is the way to the dwelling place of light,
and where is the abode of darkness,
That you may take them to their boundaries
and set them on their homeward paths?
You know, because you were born before them,
and the number of your years is great!

More rhetorical questions. God is simply bringing home the point that Job and every mortal man is less than a speck of dust compared to Him.

Then Job answered the LORD and said:

Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again;
though twice, I will do so no more.

Job understands perfectly the point God has just made.

Responsorial Psalm 

Ps 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab

Response. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Two things.

First, God is everywhere and is in control of everything. Do your best, do good and then remain in peace. God will make the growth, God will bring your good work to fulfillment. You might not see the results in this life but be assured that God will produce them.

Second, God is everywhere and is all powerful. Never fall to the illusion that you can hide anything from Him. Practice the discipline known as the Presence of God. Always be aware that every single thoughtless word that comes from your mouth will be judged:

Matthew 12:36
King James Version (KJV)
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke

Lk 10:13-16

Jesus said to them,

Jesus is still addressing the 72 disciples which will precede Him in the ministry to Israel.

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment than for you.

And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.'

Jesus says that Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum will thus be punished also, because they did not recognize that He is God and they did not repent of their sins.
Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum are cities in Israel which Jesus visited. Tyre and Sidon are cities which allied themselves with the enemies of God in the Old Testament. God had them destroyed because they did not repent of their sins:

Isaiah 23:1
King James Version (KJV)
1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, ....

Ezekiel 28:21-23
King James Version (KJV)
21 Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it,
22 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.
23 For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Whoever listens to you listens to me.
Whoever rejects you rejects me.
And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

The 72 disciples are to precede Christ teaching the Gospel. This is what the Church does in this age. Whoever listens to the Church, listens to Christ:

2 Corinthians 5:20
King James Version (KJV)
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Sincerely,


De Maria