26th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 10-3-24, Year B
Readings: 1st Reading: Jb 19:21-27; Psalm: 27:7-9, 13-14; Gospel: Lk 10:1-12
Theme: An Unshakable Faith in God
“I hear, and my body trembles; at the sound, my lips quiver.
Decay invades my bones, my legs tremble beneath me.
I await the day of distress that will come upon the people who attack us.
For though the fig tree blossoms not nor fruit be on the vines,
Though the yield of olive fail and the terraces produce no nourishment,
Though the flocks disappear from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,
Yet will I rejoice in the Lord and exult in my saving God.”
Habakkuk, 3:16-18 circa 600 BC
“For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,
brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins.
We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, no holocaust, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,
no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.
But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received:
As though it were holocausts of rams and bullocks,
or thousands of fat lambs,
So let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly;
for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.”
Daniel, 3:37-40 (The Fiery Furnace) circa 167-164 BC
These are just a few examples in scripture of people who had an unshakable faith in God. A faith that grew deeper when they were suffering the most.
When things get really tough and you want to blame God for allowing these things to happen to you, remember the plight of Job, Habakkuk, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego of the Book of Daniel and how they responded to God in the worst of times for them.
For Job, his suffering led him to a deeper faith in God.
For Habakkuk, suffering great persecution from his enemies, he still praised God asking for forgiveness in the midst of it all.
And, for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, being thrown into the fiery furnace of King Nebuchadnezzar, found it a chance to ask for forgiveness and sing praises for their love of God.
The same can be said of the seventy-two disciples that Jesus sent out into the world with nothing but the clothes on their backs, to proclaim the Kingdom of God to all people. They did not know if they would ever return, facing almost certain persecution and death, yet they praised God for the chance to proclaim Him.
Be thankful that you suffer at times, as this unites you with Christ’s suffering on the cross and provides you with an opportunity to move into a deeper faith in God that nothing can shake.
Your suffering is a gift from God; a chance to depend on Him to help ease your suffering and comfort you with His graces so you can find freedom and consolation in this world. So, the next time you suffer, sing God’s praises and double down on your faith in Him and He will double down on His grace for you.
Saint James Catholic Church 