HOMILY FOR FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B. 07.02.2021
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WHERE IS GOD IN THE MIDST OF EVIL?
What is our
conception of suffering? Are we the type of Christians that don’t want to hear
the word “suffer” or are we among those that endlessly ask: “How can we explain
or justify the sufferings of man”? Why does God who is almighty and
all-powerful not prevent suffering in this world? There is a mystery behind it,
which the liturgy of today invites us to reflect on.
In the first
reading, Job saw his present suffering like a futile and discouraging work of a
servant or a hired man. He felt there was no hope anymore when he said, “Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and
like a hireling who looks for his wages, so I am allotted months of emptiness,
and night of misery are apportioned to me.” Job described his physical
condition in painful terms. His sufferings seems unending, which made him ask,
“When shall I arise? The night is long,
and I am full of tossing till the dawn.” Similarly, we are tempted to ask,
why would bad things happen to good people and vice-versa? The answer to these
questions seems elusive, hidden, unclear and out of reach. With Job’s scenario,
we will agree that suffering remains a puzzle. It will be unwise to pretend
that we have complete answers as to why God allows suffering, especially when
it has to do with grave illness /death of loved ones or family members.
Importantly, the
book of Job was written to tell us that it is wrong to query God about his
ways. The book is considered as one of the wisdom books; others include:
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom and Songs of Songs. These books ponders on great questions
concerning human conditions/sufferings. It was written after the unspeakable
sufferings of the Babylonian conquest and exile around 587-537 BC. It examined
the people’s problems that transcend in history: such as bad things happening
to good people and if the people can continue to serve God selflessly without
any reward. This brought about ‘Theology of Retribution.’ This theology is from
the book of Deuteronomy, otherwise known as the Doctrine of recompense in the
Old Testament, which tells us that the good prospers and the wicked suffers,
and that sickness or sufferings is as a result of sinfulness or disobedience of
the Law (Deut. 30:16-18). Proverbs 11:21 adds, “Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished.” This theology
is a simplistic interpretation of life’s events that makes assumptions about
God’s intention and many Christians still hold unto this ideology or mentality
till date, without good understanding of it.
Can we say that
the theology of retribution is wrong? It is true that, under Israel’s
theocracy, God promised retribution upon the disobedient Israelites. Sometimes
that retribution fell quickly (Numbers 11:33), and sometimes, not quickly
(Psalm 35:17). However, God’s treatment
of Israel under dispensation of the Law cannot be the basis of our theology in
the dispensation of grace. At the time of Job, this theology was justifiable by
the Law, because Job’s Tradition knew nothing about the existence of heaven nor
hell nor the fullness of grace. Job’s tradition holds that God reward the good
and punish the evil here on earth (Prov. 11:21). With the emergence of Christ,
Christianity have changed this tradition/theology and offered us a new meaning
of suffering in the person of Christ and the choice of the cross.
Therefore, from the first reading, we will understand the deprivation of Job
from his family and friends. Even when his human friends failed him (with the
mentality that Job was suffering from the evil he had done), he was assured
that his Divine friend (His trust in God) will not fail him. This Divine friend
reflects in the Gospel account of today. The Divine friend that visited the
mother-in-law of Peter.
In the Gospel,
Christ continues in his teaching and healing ministry. As a friend to his
disciples, he knows very well the suffering of his people and so, he healed
many who were sick with various diseases in Capernaum (not all) and cast out
many demons. This is to teach us that
his primary duty was to proclaim the good news, that sickness or suffering is
not as a result of sinfulness, rather, for the glory of God to come to
fulfillment. In view of this, we remember the cure of the man born blind in
John 9:2-3 when his disciples asked him, “Who
sinned, the man or his parents, that he was born blind?” The question of
the disciples carries the belief of retribution, but in response, Christ said,
“Neither he nor his parents sinned, he
was born blind that the work of God might be revealed in him.” In the words
of St. Augustine, “God permit certain evil in other to bring forth good.”
In a nutshell,
the readings of today reminds us of our daily struggles with the problems of
life. Sometimes, in our sufferings just like Job and the mother-in-law of
Peter, it seems God is in grave silence or has absconded and we are tempted to
ask various questions such as, where is God in the midst of all evils that
surrounds us? Why me? What have I done wrong to deserve these sufferings or
punishments? Why will the wicked prosper and those making efforts to be
faithful and obedient Christians do not? Why will evil people be blessed with
life partners, children and even rewarded with good jobs or be more successful
in their business when they deceive others and the virtuous ones are not? The
response is always this, that the glory of God may be fulfilled in our lives
and so, we are encouraged to be persistent and consistent in doing good. Let sufferings
or problems of this life not undermine our intimacy with Christ. There is
heavenly reward, which is our belief, it is our hope. St. Paul in the second
reading speaks of the heavenly reward after his encounter with Christ. Before
his encounter with Christ, he was spiritually sick and now, he can boldly say,
“Woe to me if I don’t preach the Christ I have encountered.” Christ is the
gospel we are all called to preach.
Dear friends in
Christ, as we gradually approach the Lenten season, the liturgy of today
reminds us that the cross, pains and sufferings are the means our Lord Jesus
Christ used to redeem us. He could have used other means, but he chose
precisely the cross. Since then, suffering has a new meaning different from
Job’s tradition (theology of retribution), which can only be understood when it
is united with Christ. So in faith, let us unite our sufferings, pains and
sickness with Christ. This way, our crosses or sufferings will become light.
Peace be with you!
Happy Sunday!
Fr. Ken Dogbo, OSJ
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