Suffering is apart of that process

Today at Holy Mass we heard in the first reading the story of Job……Job had everything - He was rich - He had a good family - He had a deep faith……How easy it is to have faith when “things are going right”…..But - As we saw in the story of Job today - Things can go from good to bad very fast!….Everything was taken from Job - His family - His money - His security…And amazingly, Job did not raise his fist against God….How would you respond?…..Its hard to say….But one of the take-aways from this story is - How easy it is for one to take the things we have in life for granted!….That everything we have is a gift - Given to us from God…Do we see our life and all our possessions that way?….And if the things we have are gifts - Which they are - Why would we then not share them?….No one ever went poor by sharing - Just so you know……In fact, when we share, we find deep and lasting joy - A joy the world can never give…..Yet - This is not how the world “operates” - We see what we have as “solely” our own - Humanity “hoards its goods" - Refuses to have children…All for what?…..“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God”……….Each of us has a limited time to walk this earth - We all die!…Do we ever consider this reality - That we die! - That our life will be measured by God - On God’s terms - Not our own!…….As far as what we do with the gifts God gave to us - Do we ignore this reality!?! - That God DOES expect something from us!!!!……….Job understood his “role” - That he was a mere creation and God is the creator….And when Job’s material wealth was taken from him - He took it in stride….Now if I was Job - I wish I can say I would be so “clear-minded” about such a catastrophic lose - (Keeping in mind that I am Italian and we Italians can get a little “crazy”)…..But seriously - What I can say is this - In time…Just maybe - By God’s grace - He would sustain me and a new chapter would begin…..All things work towards our sanctification - Its one thing to know this intellectually - It another thing to “live it”…..But God is merciful and he only gives us what we can bear…..But never lose sight of the fact that we are NOT in union with God YET - That we all have a way to go! - And suffering plays a big part in the sanctification process….Being too comfortable on this earth is not good - More times then not, too much comfort results in us losing sight of God - And in the end - Its only God that matters - All your “stuff” will be taken from you - Like it or not!

"Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!"

Years ago, I helped facilitate a Bible Study in my hometown parish…A women Elizabeth would faithfully attend each week…I mention Elizabeth today because she came to my mind as I read the first reading from Mass - The story of Job - How he had everything - And then everything was taken from him - Yet Job did not lose faith….Elizabeth was married to a lawyer - His name was Michael - They were faithful Catholics and also very rich…..They belonged to the Opus Dei movement, founded by he Spanish priest and Saint Josemaría Escrivá…Michael and Elizabeth wanted to have children and when they found out they were medically unable - They adapted - Not one - But four children!!!!….What a wonderful gesture!!!….Here you have a wealthy Catholic couple, using their gifts to provide a home for not one, but four children the world discarded!…..And then - Just when life seemed to be “perfect” - Michael dies of a sudden heart attack, leaving Elizabeth with four young children to raise on her own…..All the money is now GONE!!!! - And Elizabeth has no husband to help her raise these four children!!!!…..Elizabeth still attended Mass and when she was at our Bible Study, some days she seemed like she was about to have a nervous breakdown - No joke!…But she never lost her faith - She did her very best - And she raised those four children……Only God knows why this tragedy happen….A HORRIBLE event - For such a good person like Elizabeth to endure…..But God in his permissive will knows why - Because all things work for the greater glory of God…..And Elizabeth allowed this hardship, which lasted for YEARS to “wash over her”……….St John tell us…..”So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything”…”No offense” to St John - We can intellectualize our suffering only so far - But that does not “cut it” - We have to live through suffering - And in that “lived experience” -  God forms us and makes us who we were born to be - And that is a process….To become holy is a process - One in which we must experience by living - And - Suffering is apart of that process………..JMJ

“In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God”