Genuine saving Faith in God for God’s sake, no matter what. Twelfth Sunday OTYB 24

Introduction

Here's a little background on the story of the Book of Job: In antiquity, stormy seas represented everything chaotic and against God in people's lives beyond their control, which God alone could control and order.

Body

Job, a righteous and just man, was being accused before God in heaven that the only reason Job was faithful to God was because God had given Job all the good things in life and protected Job. In other words, the accusation was against God, saying that man was not free to have genuine saving faith in God for God’s sake, no matter what. The only one who could prove wrong the accuser was Job himself. So God allows the accuser to wreak havoc on Job, including his health. Now, Job does not know why he is suffering so miserably; his friends, supposedly trying to comfort him, tell him God is punishing him for hidden sin, and even his wife tells him to curse God and die. But Job perseveres and maintains his innocence, proving that man is free to have genuine saving Faith in God, for God’s sake, no matter what. Yet Job continues questioning God for justice: why me, God, why me? A natural human response. As God was preparing to restore Job to health and bless him like never before, our first reading says, “God addressed Job out of the Strom and said” I’m paraphrasing now, God let Job know that God is present with him in all the Chaos and stormy seas of his life. God alone limits the storm's damages before he calms the waves.

In our Gospel, the apostles, fearing losing their lives in the chaos of the sea, were unaware of the presence of the Son of God Incarnate sleeping peacefully in the boat with them. They cried out, calling him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” After he calmed the sea and questioned their faith, they wondered, “Who is this whom, even the wind and sea Obeys?” Jesus taught the disciples a lesson about saving genuine saving Faith in God for God’s sake, no matter what, like Job.

Conclusion

Many of us here today have difficulties beyond our control; we are in stormy seas and don't know why exactly or what to do. These are conflicting and confusing times. We pray and cry out to God for help and wonder when. When Lord? My dear brothers and sisters, cultivating genuine saving Faith in God, for God’s sake, no matter what, is not easy, but God gives us the grace, patience, and perseverance we need. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Cor 10:13, “God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond your strength.” We know him who will calm our seas. Jesus Christ, who Loves us, who died for us and rose again so that we can die and rise with him in newness of life from the stormy waters of our baptism. Let us give thanks to the Lord from the bottom of our hearts because he is here to nourish us with his Body and Blood from the sacrifice of the Altar and to strengthen our genuine saving faith in God for God’s sake, no matter what, in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit AMEN+