October 3, 2008 (Friday)

DIDACHE

MOST INFLUENTIAL

“Have you minded the breadth of the earth? Tell me if you know all this.” – Job 38:18

“The Most Influential People in the World,” read the banner story of an international magazine. It was referring to individualswho, by virtue of their character, their drives and their dreams, changed the world and made history. They were presented under the classification of leaders and revolutionaries, heroes and pioneers, scientists and thinkers, artists and entertainers, builders and titans. Because of their influence, people listen, follow, believe and emulate them.

But the reality is that their knowledge and sphere of influence plus the power, authority, and prestige that go with it are limited to that category only. Nothing more.

God authors everything. He alone is the most influential in this world. If only we listen, believe, obey and follow Him, His goodness, blessings and beauty will abound. Without limit. Without boundary. In Him, there should be no room for questions, doubt, fear, sadness or conflict within us. Marie Franco

REFLECTION:
Who do I believe in? Who do I follow? Who do I trust to make a difference in this world?

My Lord God, You are the Most High. It is in You that all beauty, goodness, and truth have their roots. I entrust my life to You.

St. Adalgott, bishop and comforter of the poor, pray for us.

COMPANION

1ST READING

God is not being sarcastic when He asks Job if he has ever commanded the morning to come or sent a star to its post. He is just asking Job to reflect upon the truth – namely, who is the one here with true authority and the right to question. Job is forced to admit that he has spoken ‘out of turn’ and that he will not do so anymore. He has listened to the urgings of his friends long enough and now will take counsel from his own heart and stop the questioning, and be ready to submit to God’s wisdom in his life. God knows the pressures upon Job and will not hold his actions against him.

Job 38: 1,12-21; 40: 3-5
1 The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said: 12 Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place 13 for taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? 14 The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment; 15 but from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered. 16 Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? 17 Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? 18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all: 19 which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, 20 that you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? 21 You know, because you were born before them, and the number of your years is great! 3 Then Job answered the LORD and said: 4 Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. 5 Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.

P S A L M

Psalm 139: 1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
R: Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
1 O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; 2 you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. 3 My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. (R) 7 Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there. (R) 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall guide me, and your right hand hold me fast. (R) 13 Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. 14 I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. (R)

G O S P E L

Obviously, the people from these towns have demonstrated an arrogance of heart represented by a refusal to repent and follow Jesus. What else can Jesus say to them? What more can Jesus say to anyone who refuse to repent when confronted with their need to do so? Anyone who claims they have no need to repent is obviously deluded as we know all people have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

Luke 10:13-16
13 Jesus said to them, “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. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ ” 16 Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

my reflections
think: Anyone who claims they have no need to repent is obviously deluded as we know all people have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Wisdom 1-4



SABBATH


WHAT DO YOU REALLY KNOW?

Today, we hear God challenge Job to make a stand on what he knows and to be forthright about it. Job answers truthfully that his answers have been somewhat frivolous, and he agrees that it is time to address the issues seriously. He realizes that he does not have greater knowledge than God when it comes to the questions under discussion, and thus he needs to defer to God’s wisdom in these matters and that is that.

Job and his so-called friends or advisers have been discussing the nature of the problem of evil. Why is it that good people suffer and evil people prosper? This question does not have a simple answer. It is full of mystery and problems as often, there is no satisfactory answer on the subject of suffering from the point of view of logic or justice. As soon as we venture into the realms of evil, we enter intothe world of injusticeand sin. Here there is no “good logic” or justice concerning the events of the world. All a person can do is address the situations in which they find themselves and apply the moral law to them as best as they can. No amount of analysis is going to be able to make sense of the consequences of sin since its very nature is illogical and fundamentally disordered.

God’s definitive answer to the problem of evil is found in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Here we see how God addresses the sin and defeats it forever. His victory is so great it is even made available to us freely through faith. I wonder what Job would have to say to that? Anyway, what is important to note is that God defeats sin and evil not by fighting it on its own terms, but through His own – namely, love and forgiveness. This introduced us to a new type of logic and justice that is capable of addressing the disorder and injustice of sin. It is up to us to follow or not the lead of Jesus and combat evil in the same way He did. Fr. Steve Tynan

Reflection Question:
Do I often wonder about the injustice of sin? Have I ever looked at this issue from the point of view of Jesus’ suffering and death?

Jesus, there was no justice for You in Your death on the cross. Help me to realize that as Your disciple there may be no justice for me until eternal life.

St. Adalgott, bishop and comforter of the poor, pray for us.