Scripture:
Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
Luke 10:17-24
Reflection:
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the news media was interviewing a woman in North Carolina whose house was flooded by the torrential rains. She looked at the interviewer and said, “I feel so blessed. It could have been so much worse.” Two months ago, I got on a CTA bus. I asked the driver how he was doing today and he said, “Blessed! I’m very blessed.” In another instance, I recall the single word a retreatant in the AA program would always call herself, “blessed.” I’m curious, what causes some people to see their lives as truly blessed, while others see deficiency, or even a lack of meaning in their lives? While I honestly don’t know what struggles or tragedies were in the personal lives of any of these three people, I know they were quick to publicly tell others that they feel blessed. And blessedness for them wasn’t about reaching financial security, achieving their personal goals, or finding a place in life where there was no struggle. Blessedness wasn’t a place in the future they hoped to attain, rather it was right here, and right now. In this present moment, at this present time, in this present place, they knew they were blessed.
I reflect on this today as we hear these readings. Job is one who had such favor with God at the beginning of the story. Yet, as the narrative unfolds, he is quite perplexed as to why he ends up loosing it all. Still, Job always holds onto his reverence and respect for God’s goodness and holiness. Today’s first reading we hear from the end of the book of Job. Job is never given an explanation. He truly knows that there are things beyond his understanding, “things too wonderful for me, which I can not know.” And then he regains even more cattle, sheep, camels and oxen than he originally had. While some may only focus on the surface that he is blessed because of his material possessions, the author is quick to add that Job is gifted with a long life filled with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is indeed blessed. And the entire story is that the blessedness is gifted to him because of his faithfulness.
This is followed by Luke’s Gospel account of the return of the seventy-two. Recall at the beginning of chapter 10 the seventy-two are sent out into every town and village he intended to visit. They are to cure the sick in each village and announce that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Today’s Gospel has them returning with exultant excitement and praise. Jesus addresses the disciples in private by stressing their blessedness. “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.” They are blessed because they faithfully completed the mission for which they were sent. They were not only firsthand witnesses of the Kingdom of God, they were also blessed by personally conversing and having a relationship with the messiah, the chosen one. How people through human history longed for this.
Job was blessed. Indeed, the disciples are blessed. You and I are very blessed.
Blessedness in the biblical tradition isn’t on self-reliance, or material possessions, Instead, it is based on a rich understanding of being the recipient of God’s favor. It isn’t something a person earns nor accomplishes. We are blessed because of what God has done, and we have some kind of awareness of the magnificence and grandness of the act. God, who has created us and will eternally love us, sustains us in every aspect of our lives. When we truly know this in the core of our being, we carry within us a unique freedom and joy. We realize our security doesn’t come from what we cling to. Our joy comes from knowing how deeply we are cared for by our Heavenly Father. Knowing this in our hearts, awakens us to a healthy sense of our blessedness.
Today we need to spend some time with our blessedness. Know how blessed you are.
Fr. David Colhour, C.P. is the Provincial Superior of Holy Cross Province. He resides in Chicago, Illinois.