5th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Reflection

First Reading: Job 7:1-4, 6-7
This lament of Job’s seems hopeless. It is an extremely downtrodden look at life. And if we know the story of Job we may understand why he had such a sour outlook on life. He had lost all of property and his children in horrible tragedies. The story of Job, in fact, is a tragedy in that he suffered greatly, being tested in his faith as a result. In the end, basically everything Job had was taken away from him.

He lost his family, his friends, his possessions, his health, etc. Yet, Job remained faithful to God in the midst of all these trials. In fact, he exclaimed, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). The narrator then explains, “In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong” (Job 1:22).

Job was a righteous man who suffered great tragedy yet remained faithful to God. It is within this context that we must understand today his lament in today’s reading. His statements are an honest reflection of how he felt: utterly dismayed, like a slave in bondage, restless, etc.
We may feel like Job at times. We suffer tragedies too. In the midst of those it’s okay to be honest with God and others about the great challenge of our situation. At the same time, let us follow the example of Job in trusting in God.
God Bless!