Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - June 23, 2024

06-23-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Madison Hayes

Today, our reflections turn to the profound wisdom contained in the book of Job, a literary masterpiece that stands unique within the sacred canon of Scripture. Job’s narrative takes a dramatic approach to the fundamental questions of our existence, unraveling the mysteries of the relationship between God and humanity, good and evil, reward and punishment.

G.K. Chesterton, an expert in the literary arts, aptly described the book of Job as a “riddle.” Through its pages, Job invites us to explore the deep recesses of the human heart. Chesterton beautifully captures the essence of Job’s quest, stating, “[Job] shakes the pillars of the world and strikes insanely at the heavens; he lashes the stars, but it is not to silence them; it is to make them speak.” Job’s journey is not a quest to solve a problem but an exploration of the boundless riddle that is God’s purpose — a mysterious, misleading, puzzling, and paradoxical encounter with the Infinite.

Unlike a more trivial poet who might have God enter the narrative to provide answers, when God finally speaks, it is to pose questions of His own. God, in his divine wisdom, enters not to solve problems but to reframe them. “Who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb?” God reveals that the wonder of the universe lies in its mystery, resisting simple explanations and mechanical solutions. Job’s questions about his suffering, though unanswered, invite us to delve into the depths of mystery.

True Wisdom, as depicted in Scripture, is not about finding a direct answer to the problem of suffering but living in the fear of God, transcending the difficulties faced by Job and entering the transcendent “abyss” of God’s Love. The truly wise are those who sail the sea of life, trading on deep waters, recognizing the works of the Lord and His wonders in the abyss.

Job, despite being left with more questions than answers, ultimately found what he was seeking. The good news for us is not a promise to fix all our problems. We are not mere problems to be solved but people to be loved. The love of Christ is the good news, a love so profound that even death cannot pose a problem. The Cross, a violent, beautiful, tragic, and hopeful sight, reveals God’s love for us.

As we contemplate the paradox of love and forgiveness offered on the Cross, prefigured in the suffering of Job, we find its strange and high fulfillment in the person of Jesus — the best man with the worst fortune. The book of Job corrects our vision, directing our gaze to the Cross, where the paschal mystery unites us with God. May the love of Christ, the true answer to our deepest longings, impel us to live in awe of His unfathomable love.