03 October. Wednesday, Week 26
1st Reading: Job (9:1-12, 14-16)
How can a person be justified in God’s sight?
Job answered and said:
“Indeed I know that this is so
but how can a mortal be just before God?
If one wished to contend with him,
one could not answer him once in a thousand.
He is wise in heart,
and mighty in strength —
who has resisted him
and succeeded?—
he who removes mountains,
and they do not know it,
when he overturns them in his anger
who shakes the earth out of its place,
and its pillars tremble
who commands the sun,
and it does not rise
who seals up the stars
who alone stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the Sea
who made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the chambers of the south
who does great things beyond understanding,
and marvellous things without number.
Look, he passes by me,
and I do not see him
he moves on,
but I do not perceive him.
He snatches away
who can stop him?
Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
How then can I answer him,
choosing my words with him?
Though I am innocent, I cannot answer him
I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.
If I summoned him and he answered me,
I do not believe that he would listen to my voice.”
Resp. Psalm (Ps 88)
R.: Let my prayer come before you, Lord
I call to you, Lord, all the day long;
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work your wonders for the dead?
Will the shades stand and praise you? (R./)
Will your love be told in the grave
or your faithfulness among the dead?
Will your wonders be known in the dark
or your justice in the land of oblivion? (R./)
As for me, Lord, I call to you for help:
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Lord, why do you reject me?
Why do you hide your face? (R./)
Gospel: Luke (9:57-62)
Stern requirements for following Jesus
As they were going along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Courage in an uncertain world
The Book of Job echoes the austere period after the exile when Jews were wondering how move on after the national trauma of defeat and captivity. Today we have Job’s reply to Bildad, a friend who had come to offer his sympathy and comfort in his dark hour.
His words summarize the message of this Book: Ultimately, nobody can hold God to account, whose wisdom and power are above all human understanding.. “Should He come near me, I cannot see Him; How much less can I give Him any answer.” The final poem (Job 38-41) proclaims God’s control of the universe, beyond human scrutiny and comprehension. Its thrust is already in today’s reading. Like Job, we too must live within the mystery of life, and learn the way of humility before God. Quick answers, like fast food and overnight wealth, are generally not the best for physical health and psychological peace. Even setbacks can help us to recognize the inner groaning of the Spirit” as we await the redemption of our bodies” (Rom 8:23).
Who can live heroically on a day-by-day basis? nor indeed could we keep it up, day in and day out. However, testing moments will surely come, that bring to mind the words of Jesus: “Whoever puts his hand to the plough but keeps looking back is unfit for the reign of God.” We need to discern how his words apply to our personal calling, and trust in God to prepare us for tomorrow and its demands.
Follow without delay
Three people wanted to join the company of Jesus, but they seemed unaware of what it would ask of them. Two of them have important duties to attend to first. And indeed we surely would have thought that burying one’s father and saying goodbye to people at home were of top priority for a dutiful person. Yet Jesus insists that following him immediately is the more urgent duty. This is one of the most demanding of all of his sayings and one we might prefer to ignore.
Becoming and remaining his disciple calls for self-sacrifice. It is never going to be an easy option. Jesus calls for a personal allegiance to himself beyond the allegiance we owe to family, even though it is not incompatible with keeping on friendly terms with ones family, as seen elsewhere in the New Testament. Following him may sometimes put us at odds with those closest to us. Real discipleship is a fundamental option, a choice to be often renewed.
