Sunday Homily, February 4, 2018, 5th Ordinary Time
"Welcome in, Everybody," says Cody with Olivia and Ben.
Readings:
Job 7, 1-4, 6-7, Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?
Psalm 147, Praise the Lord who heals the broken hearted.
Corinthians 9, 16-19. 22-23, I have become all things to all.
Mark 1, 29-39, They brought to him all who were ill.
And, Welcome in to you, Judy. So nice to see you. You look beautiful.
Job 0bservations:
What: A comment on The Universe. No book in the OT or NT has less known about it. Called the most profound book of the OT. It deals with the problem of evil, personal justification, and why bad things happen to good people. Job himself could be historical, a literary creation, or a combination of the first two.
Author: Unknown.
Date: It is guessed to be before the time of Moses and Egypt, i.e., earlier than 1300 before Christ.
Structure: 3 poetic dialogues preceded by a prose introduction and ending with a prose conclusion, an epilogue judged to have been added sometime later by another person or group of persons.
Emma, your smile makes my day. Thanks to you and your little friend. By the way, your other little friend that you loaned us still rides in our car above the mirror.
Psalm 147 observations:
The message is beautifully optimistic. Is it naive? We all die. What about the Jews who entered Auschwitz? My JCC friend from Poland? 85 members of his family liquidated.
Want to go to communion? See Jan, she will fix you up.
The Story of Job
I would like to tell you this morning the story of Job.
Once upon a time there was a good man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He had 7 sons and 3 daughters, a sign that he was especially blessed. He not only had sons, but he had the special number of 7.
One day Yahweh was walking around heaven talking with his buddies when he ran into the devil. "What have you been doing?" he asked. "I have been walking around here and there," the devil responded.
"Have you noticed how good my man Job is?" "Yes,' says the devil, "but I bet he will curse you to your face if you stop protecting him and take away all his goodies." "It's a bet," says Yahweh, "Just don't hurt him."
Leo, our Candle Man of the Week, at work.
So a few days later while all of Job's 7 sons and 3 daughters where having a feast with their families, a storm blew up killed them all. A messenger runs to tell Job of the horrible news.
Another messenger had raced in and saying lightening has just killed all his sheep and the shepherds. Other messengers likewise run in saying Job's livestock have been rustled by robbers who killed all the farm hands.
Job is devastated, of course, but responds with the famous statement: "I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing. The Lord gave, and now he has taken away. May his name be praised."
Jackie reading the Blessing of the Candles.
So Yahweh wins his bet. But, when Yahweh and the devil meet up to settle their bet, the devil raises the stakes by saying that he bets Job will curse Yahweh if the devil is allowed to hurt his body. Not death, just hurt. "Bet," says Yahweh.
The next day Job comes down with sores all over his body, like leprosy, and he has to go outside of town where the lepers go. He sits in the town dump. His wife now comes and his friends. They all grieve. They also encourage Job to see what he has done bad. Has he cursed Yahweh? Confess and repent. Job proclaims his innocence. But he is depressed and discouraged.
Note the cosmic vision here: God punishes the evil and blesses the good. So, Job, what bad thing is God punishing?
So sorry, Brent, not even a cupcake for you this week.
(In East Africa I used to celebrate Mass for a small community of lepers
Finally, while not cursing Yahweh, he cries out his anguish saying (chapter 3):
"Oh, God, put a curse on the day I was born; put a curse on the night when I was conceived! Turn that day into darkness, God." (verses 2-4)
"I wish I had died in my mother's womb or died the moment I was born. Why did my mother hold me on her knees?" (verses 11-12)
"Why let men go on living in misery? Why give light to men in grief?" (verse 20)
"Everything I fear and dread comes true. I have no peace, no rest, and my troubles never end." (verses 25-26)
The Offertory Team, Nina & Kerry, Judy & Mike.
After some time in this situation, Yahweh comes along and speaks with him:
"Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant, empty words? Stand up now like a man and answer the questions I ask you. Were you there when I made the world?" (verses 2-3)
"Job, have you ever in all you life commanded a day to dawn?" (verse 12)
"Have you been to the springs in the depths of the sea? Have you walked on the floor of the ocean? "(verse 16)
"Have you been to the place where the sun comes up or the place where the east wind blows?" (verse 24)
Communion Team ready to begin.
After hearing all the numerous ways Yahweh reminds him of how insignificant he is, Job apologizes to Yahweh and promises to be a good boy and not complain from now on.
In an epilogue, which is considered a late addition, Yahweh restores his wealth and gives him 7 more sons and 3 more beautiful daughters. He lives another 140 years a prosperous and happy man.
Ever feel like Job? How do you handle the feeling?
Lynda & Tom getting ready to run Hilton Head next week end and Jan is blessing them on their way. I am envious.