CCC Cross Reference:
Jb 1:6 441
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Reading 1:
Jb 1:6-22
One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD,
Satan also came among them.
And the LORD said to Satan, "Whence do you come?"
Then Satan answered the LORD and said,
"From roaming the earth and patrolling it."
And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job,
and that there is no one on earth like him,
blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?"
But Satan answered the LORD and said,
"Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing?
Have you not surrounded him and his family
and all that he has with your protection?
You have blessed the work of his hands,
and his livestock are spread over the land.
But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has,
and surely he will blaspheme you to your face."
And the LORD said to Satan,
"Behold, all that he has is in your power;
only do not lay a hand upon his person."
So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
And so one day, while his sons and his daughters
were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
a messenger came to Job and said,
"The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them,
and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid.
They put the herdsmen to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
"Lightning has fallen from heaven
and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them;
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said,
"The Chaldeans formed three columns,
seized the camels, carried them off,
and put those tending them to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
"Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
when suddenly a great wind came across the desert
and smote the four corners of the house.
It fell upon the young people and they are dead;
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair.
He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,
"Naked I came forth from my mother's womb,
and naked shall I go back again.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD!"
In all this Job did not sin,
nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.
Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 17:1bcd, 2-3, 6-7
R. (6) Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Gospel:
Lk 9:46-50
An argument arose among the disciples
about which of them was the greatest.
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child
and placed it by his side and said to them,
"Whoever receives this child in my name receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
For the one who is least among all of you
is the one who is the greatest."
Then John said in reply,
"Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name
and we tried to prevent him
because he does not follow in our company."
Jesus said to him,
"Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you."
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Job 1:6-22
One day the Sons of God came to attend on the Lord, and among them was Satan. So the Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you been?’ ‘Round the earth,’ he answered ‘roaming about.’ So the Lord asked him, ‘Did you notice my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth: a sound and honest man who fears God and shuns evil.’ ‘Yes,’ Satan said ‘but Job is not God-fearing for nothing, is he? Have you not put a wall round him and his house and all his domain? You have blessed all he undertakes, and his flocks throng the countryside. But stretch out your hand and lay a finger on his possessions: I warrant you, he will curse you to your face.’ ‘Very well,’ the Lord said to Satan ‘all he has is in your power. But keep your hands off his person.’ So Satan left the presence of the Lord.
On the day when Job’s sons and daughters were at their meal and drinking wine at their eldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job. ‘Your oxen’ he said ‘were at the plough, with the donkeys grazing at their side, when the Sabaeans swept down on them and carried them off. Your servants they put to the sword: I alone escaped to tell you.’ He had not finished speaking when another messenger arrived. ‘The fire of God’ he said ‘has fallen from the heavens and burnt up all your sheep, and your shepherds too: I alone escaped to tell you.’ He had not finished speaking when another messenger arrived. ‘The Chaldaeans,’ he said ‘three bands of them, have raided your camels and made off with them. Your servants they put to the sword: I alone escaped to tell you.’ He had not finished speaking when another messenger arrived. ‘Your sons and daughters’ he said ‘were at their meal and drinking wine at their eldest brother’s house, when suddenly from the wilderness a gale sprang up, and it battered all four corners of the house which fell in on the young people. They are dead: I alone escaped to tell you.’
Job rose and tore his gown and shaved his head. Then falling to the ground he worshipped and said:
‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
naked I shall return.
The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back.
Blessed be the name of the Lord!’
In all this misfortune Job committed no sin nor offered any insult to God.
Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 16(17):1-3,6-7
Turn your ear to me, O Lord; hear my words.
Lord, hear a cause that is just,
pay heed to my cry.
Turn your ear to my prayer:
no deceit is on my lips.
Turn your ear to me, O Lord; hear my words.
From you may my judgement come forth.
Your eyes discern the truth.
You search my heart, you visit me by night.
You test me and you find in me no wrong.
Turn your ear to me, O Lord; hear my words.
I am here and I call, you will hear me, O God.
Turn your ear to me; hear my words.
Display your great love, you whose right hand saves
your friends from those who rebel against them.
Turn your ear to me, O Lord; hear my words.
Gospel Luke 9:46-50
An argument started between the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew what thoughts were going through their minds, and he took a little child and set him by his side and then said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the least among you all, that is the one who is great.’
John spoke up. ‘Master,’ he said ‘we saw a man casting out devils in your name, and because he is not with us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘You must not stop him: anyone who is not against you is for you.’
Readings and Commentary from Navarre
26th Week in Ordinary Time
From: Job 1:6-22
Satan's Challenge
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[6] Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. [7] The LORD said to Satan, "Whence have you come?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." [8] And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" [9] Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for naught? [10] Hast thou not put a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. [11] But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse thee to thy face." [12] And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself do not put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Job is stripped of his property
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[13] Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house; [14] and there came a messenger to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing and the asses feeding beside them; [15] and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them, and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." [16] While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you." [17] While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The Chaldeans formed three companies, and made a raid upon the camels and took them, and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." [18] While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house; [19] and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
[20] Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground, and worshipped. [21] And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." [22] In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
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Commentary:
1:6-12. The protagonists, God and Satan, act very much like human beings -- God like a great lord who summons his ministers to a meeting (v. 6); Satan like a spy who seems to be stalking a man who fears the Lord, but in fact he is trying to attack God himself, for he turns traditional teaching about rewards and punishment on its head: it is not true that God blesses a man because he is pious; rather, man behaves in a pious way because God blesses him (vv. 9-11). Man only seems to be obedient to God; his actions are really motivated by self-interest.
In this book 'Satan' does not yet mean the devil, the fallen angel who tempts man to do evil (cf. Rev 12:9-11). He is the prosecutor who denounces man to God for his sins (cf. Zech 3:1). For a fuller comment, see the note on 1 Chron 21:1.
Like Abraham when he was required to sacrifice his first-born son (cf. Gen 22:1-12), Job does not realize that his faith in and fear of the Lord are being put to the test. Yet in both cases, Abraham and Job, the initiative lies with God: he will not allow Abraham to perform the sacrifice, nor will he allow Job to be tested beyond the limit (v. 12).
"The sons of God" (v. 6), which the Septuagint translates as "the angels of God," are those who are subject to his commands.
1:13-22. Satan puts his plan into operation in just one day (v. 13) and Job's world crashes down around him. There are four separate calamities, each worse than the previous one, and in each case there is only one survivor left to tell the tale. First Job loses his oxen and asses, then his flocks, his camels, his children. All his property has been taken from him and he has no means of recovering it, and no children to help him. From being a wealthy, respected man, he has been reduced to utter misery. "The fire of God" (v. 16): this has no particular religious significance; it is just a popular expression for a bolt of lightning.
1:20-22. Job expresses his feelings in actions and words. As we can see elsewhere in the Bible (for example, in the case of Joseph, cf. Gen 37:34, and David, cf. 2 Sam 1:11; 13:31), rending of garments was a sign of profound sorrow. The words in v. 22 very poetically describe the human condition, its fragility and impotence. Job experiences complete deprivation; he is conscious too of the absolute sovereignty of God, who alone has power to give and to take away; and he fully accepts the will of God. St Gregory the Great draws attention to Job's good disposition when he comments that "If all the goods we have at our disposal in this life have been given to us by him (God), why should we complain if the same Judge asks for the return of what he has so generously granted to us?" ("Moralia in lob", 2,31).
Just before the words "blessed be the name of the Lord" (v. 21), the Septuagint and the Vulgate add "As it has pleased God, so is it done" -- probably a later addition to draw a general lesson from the particular case of Job.
In Job's few words in v. 21, God's own name of "Yhwh" is mentioned three times; this indicates that the writer has a deep faith in the God of the Covenant and sincere respect for God's plans.
The first scene ends with Job the clear winner: Satan thought he would curse the Lord (v. 11), but in fact he openly praises him (v. 21). The sacred writer comes Out on Job's side when he states that Job committed no sin nor even raised his voice against God. Satan has been proved wrong.
From: Luke 9:46-50:
Humility and Tolerance
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[46] And an argument arose among them (the disciples) as to which of them was the greatest. [47] But when Jesus perceived the thoughts of their hearts, He took a child and put him by His side, [48] and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great."
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Commentary:
46-48. Jesus takes a child in His arms to give His Apostles example and to correct their too-human ambitions, thereby teaching all of us not to make ourselves important. "Don't try to be a grown-up. A child, always a child, even when you are dying of old age. When a child stumbles and falls, nobody is surprised; his father promptly lifts him up. When the person who stumbles and falls is older, the immediate reaction is one of laughter. Sometimes this first impulse passes and the laughter gives way to pity. But older people have to get up by themselves.
"Your sad experience of each day is full of stumbles and falls. What would become of you if you were not continually more of a child? Don't want to be grown-up. Be a child; and when you stumble, may you be lifted by the hand of your Father-God" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 870).
49-50. Our Lord corrects the exclusivist and intolerant attitude of the Apostles. St. Paul later learned this lesson, as we can see from what he wrote during his imprisonment in Rome: "Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will [...]. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice" (Philippians 1:15, 18). "Rejoice, when you see others working in good apostolic activities. And ask God to grant them abundant grace and that they may respond to that grace. Then, you, on your way: convince yourself that it's the only way for you" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 965).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
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