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| “Saint Therese of Lisieux” artist and date are UNKNOWN |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
Commentary on Jb 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
In these verses we find Job’s final repentance and salvation from the burden placed upon him. In reward for his faithfulness, he is given twice what was taken away in property, in family, and in lifespan.
He first answers two challenges. “To the first (v. 3) Job replies by confessing that he did speak without knowing all the facts, that is, without appreciating the harmony with which creation is imbued, the awesome fact that even seemingly useless and destructive things have their part to play. This is a sort of ‘sapiential' response. To God's second appeal (v. 4). Job's reply is full of faith: he acknowledges that God has manifested himself in person: now he has seen him with his eyes (v. 5), as Moses and the prophets saw him, Job feels consoled, and he is moved to repentance now that he has actually met God.”[4]
In the final blessing (v.12-17), Job has all he had lost returned to him and more. “…the Fathers see Job as prefiguring Jesus; this applies also to the restoration of his fortunes: "Job recovered both his health and his wealth. In the same way, the Lord, through his resurrection, brings not only good health to those who believe in him, but immortality; and he restores the whole kingdom of nature, as he himself assured us when he said: Everything has been given to me by my Father. New children are born of Job to replace those who died. Similarly, the holy apostles are sons of the Lord in the same line as were the prophets of old. Job is filled with happiness and in the end rests in peace. And the Lord is blessed forever, as he was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be" (St Zeno of Verona, Tractatus, 1, 15).”[5]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
R. (135) Lord, let your face shine on me.
Commentary on Ps 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
Psalm 119, in this section, is an individual lament asking for God’s support in times of difficulty. From this, the longest of the psalms, the strophes ask for the psalmist to be strengthened in the truth, and given wisdom that comes from the law. The use of v. 71 (“It was good for me to be afflicted, in order to learn your laws”) provides a clear reference to the suffering endured by Job, and God’s final gift of salvation. (Job 42:1ff)
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Gospel: Luke 10:17-24
Commentary on Lk 10:17-24
The return of the seventy (two) gives rise to the prayer of Jesus (expanding Mark 6:30), who turns the victory of the disciples into a means to glorify the Father. The Lord gives thanks that God has seen fit to reveal his identity, and pass on his power to these disciples of his. Jesus tells them of the positive effect of their mission saying: “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” This is reminiscent of Isaiah 14:12; the evil one is defeated. The thought is concluded: “…do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” This warning is a caution against becoming fixed on external signs, but exhorts the Christian to look to the positive effect on the spirit (cf 1 Corinthians 12). The Gospel follows this with Jesus’ hymn of praise, also found in Matthew 11:25-27, and concludes the passage by telling the disciples that they are given a privilege beyond prophets and kings (see also Matthew 13:16-17). They are seeing God’s plan fulfilled in Jesus.
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Reflection:
The Gospel tells us – the hard part of God’s plan is already done! The Lord has come; fulfilling all that was written in the Law of Moses and predicted by the Prophets. He has defeated the evil one: “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” (Note – that’s past tense) Death and sin have been conquered and the gates of heaven flung open. Through the Apostles, led by St. Peter, the authority of the Lord is passed to us. All we are asked to do is wield that authority in his name.
Ok, so it’s not that simple. Even though the authority was given, not all of us have accepted the fact that we can cast the defeated enemy down. We are not confident that our spiritual strength is sufficient to overcome the effects of Satan (even though beaten) in the world. But all is not lost. We can rise to the challenge. It is within our grasp to do so.
We submit that it is like a child who is learning to ride a bike. As long as they are sure the parent is there beside them holding them steady as they learn to ride, they are fine. But as soon as they look back and see that mom or dad’s hand is no longer on the bike holding them up, they fall. We need to be confident; confident that, even though invisible, the Holy Spirit is there holding us up. We need to recall that the Lord has assigned heavenly messengers to keep us safe, giving us God’s own armor against evil.
Today we pray for confidence. We ask God to give us strength to do his will, and the wisdom of the disciples, who saw and heard what the ancients did not, and recognize Jesus is Lord.
Pax
[2] The picture is “Saint Therese of Lisieux” artist and date are UNKNOWN
[4] The Navarre Bible: “Wisdom Books”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp 152
[5] ibid
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