Today's Good News Reflection

In today's first reading, because Job had lost nearly everything that was dear to him, he is now in danger of also losing his trust in God. Isn't that how we feel when bad things happen to us? We wonder why God has let us down. We think he's being unfair and cruel. It feels like his love has abandoned us, and we choose to trust in our feelings instead of what we cannot see, hear or feel from the Lord.

God never abandons us. The fact is we need to abandon everything that is not Godly.

This does not mean that all of us are called to give everything away and embrace poverty in order to be holy, like some of the Saints have done. There are other ways to abandon everything to God, namely, by considering everything as less important than Jesus. Everything is less important than our obedient dependence upon God.

Even those activities that God has called us to do, and even the possessions he has provided for us through our jobs, and even the people he has given to us in relationships: All must be abandoned into an awareness that God is more important.

God and me alone - that's the foundation of true holiness. From this intimate friendship everything else is built up: our families, our friends, our ministries, our jobs, our homes, our possessions, etc. Whatever is good and right for us, whatever will enhance our friendship with God, whatever is a gift of his love for us, these come from the solitude and solidarity we experience with God.

Job protected himself from a loss of faith by recalling God's awesomeness. He realized that nothing truly matters except God, for he is far greater than all else. He recognized this awesomeness in the vast difference between God and himself: "If I appealed to him and he answered me, how amazing that he would hear my words!" Humility put his terrible situation into the right perspective.

Nothing really matters but God. We can lose everything, and as long as we still have God, we are doing exceedingly well. It might not feel that way, but it's the reality.

Today's Gospel passage reminds us that we have to lose (abandon, sublimate, reduce in priority) everything earthly to follow Jesus. He set the example: He gave up his home, his career in carpentry, and his earthly life for our sake. If we look back and miss what we've given up, wishing to once again make them a higher priority than our union with Christ, we break our unity with him. Who, then, are we following? Where will it lead us?

We must keep our eyes on Jesus. By abandoning everything into his hands, he gives back to us whatever truly is right and good.

Reflect more on this using our Video "When all seems bleak" @ gnm-media.org/when-all-seems-bleak/.