October 1, 2010
Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church
By Melanie Rigney
Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, that you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? (Job 38:18-20)
O Lord, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. (Psalms 139:1-2)
(Jesus said to them,) “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me." (Luke 10:16)
Piety
Lord, with your bright and open heart forgive me for showing darkness to the light. Putting my back, to what is right was wrong and I have sinned against you. Forgive me O merciful one because I have realized my wrong and I am sorry for what I have done. Lord I am ready to continue following in your footsteps. Take me from the dark. Hear me now O lord. Amen. (Found at www.Catholiconline.org)
Study
A friend of mine recently complained about riding on I-95 north to New York City while her twentysomething son drove. “He thinks he knows everything, and he’s been driving for a whole seven years!” she fumed. “Mark and I have more than eighty years of driving between us, and he didn’t want to listen to a word we said. Finally, Mark told him to pull over to the side of the road so that Mark could drive.”
I suspect God feels the same way about us sometimes. We see it in today’s first reading, when God rebukes Job for demanding a reason for his actions. You think you’re so smart, God in essence says, then show me. Answer just a few questions. And of course, Job can’t.
Job’s not the only one who demands reasons from God. We ask why he takes loved ones away from us. We ask why people live in poverty and despair. We ask why we’re not prettier, smarter, or happier than we are.
In short, we’re like my friend’s son. And when we get too annoying, God has a way of pulling us over to the side and taking the wheel.
Action
There’s a difference between asking for guidance and acceptance, and telling God he’s got some explaining to do. Just for today, resist the urge to ask God to explain himself to you.
