Haiti - A contemporary story of Job

This past Friday, we discussed how is it that God allows such evils as the earthquake in Haiti...One person had expressed her hope in an email "In spite of all the 'darkness' that has happened I cannot help but see the Light in what is happening. So many countries (some of which are enemies) have come together to help restore and bring faith and hope back to this broken nation. I see Christ working in such marvellous ways. Sometimes we must remember that before the Resurrection came the Crucifixion." Haiti, in fact, turned out to be the place where God, as always, brought good out of evil - The Red Cross reported that 3 days after the earthquake, it had already received $8 million in $10 donations by text messaging from young adults using their iPhones. What do you make of this outpouring care? Some of the donors are literally kids who wanted to share. Many organizations and countries pitched in an act of solidarity - The face of God shone on many hearts, even when they did not explicitly recognize it. We went back to Job whose trajedy in the Old Testament reminds us of our own. Job was an upright man and was blessed with abundant family life and material richness. For his great piety, Satan said to God "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." When God permitted the calamity to happen to Job and Job lost his family and his belongings, he, unlike us, remained loyal to God. The tempter went again and said to the Lord "Skin for skin! All that a man has will he give for his life. But now put forth your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and surely he will blaspheme you to your face." And God permitted Satan and "Satan smote Job with severe boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head." What was Job's response? He refused to curse God and was suffering in silence, but you can see how great suffering touched upon his soul and made him utter the words "Why did I not perish at birth, come forth from the womb and expire?" Only then you see Satan no more. Only then Job lost his battle...A long discussion emerges between Job and his friends - in particular a long admonition by Elihu...But wait for the end of the war - It is a story that shows the human trajedy of everyone. At the end, God responds to Job's questioning "Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its size; do you know? Who stretched out the measuring line for it? Into what were its pedestals sunk, and who laid the cornerstone, While the morning stars sang in chorus and all the sons of God shouted for joy? And who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb; When I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling bands?" Job responded by addressing the Lord "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes." The Book of Job then proclaims "the LORD restored the prosperity of Job, after he had prayed for his friends; the LORD even gave to Job twice as much as he had before. Then all his brethren and his sisters came to him, and all his former acquaintances, and they dined with him in his house. They condoled with him and comforted him for all the evil which the LORD had brought upon him; and each one gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. Thus the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his earlier ones." The story of Job tells us of God's outpouring and unflinshing love, in spite of every evil small or great, because He alone can cure us. He alone can give us a blessed life. The entire Biblical story is online here http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/index.shtml#job for your reading. It simply reiterates what St. Paul says "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose." (Rom 8: 28)