When Worship Costs Everything
September 30, 2024 - Monday, Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Job 1:6-22
The Book of Job, which we begin reading today in our liturgical settings, addresses the problem of suffering. In the traditional understanding, suffering and sin are closely linked: sinners suffer, while the righteous are blessed. However, the author of Job challenges this notion. Job is introduced as "blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil" (Job 1:8), and throughout the entire book, he maintains his innocence. There is no apparent reason for his suffering.
Yet, behind the problem of suffering that is so prominent in this book, there is a more fundamental issue: why do we worship and serve God? This question strikes at the heart of humanity’s relationship with the divine. Satan, acting as a prosecutor, suggests that we worship and serve God only because of the benefits He bestows upon us. Satan says to God: "Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face" (Job 1:9-11).
To prove Satan wrong, God allows him to test Job. The main character of the story loses everything: all his property, his children, and his health. Despite these incredible sufferings, the author states that Job did not curse God. Satan was wrong, and humanity is vindicated. We can worship and serve God without expecting apparent benefits, even in the midst of personal tragedies.
Job can lead us to Christ, but the sufferings of Christ have a different dimension. If Job proves that we are capable of serving God without considering any benefits, Jesus suffered for the sake of others—what we call vicarious suffering. Job teaches us to love the Giver and not become attached to His gifts. Jesus calls us to sacrificial love, willing to offer our lives for others.
Job's words, "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!" (Job 1:21), inspired Matt Redman to compose the song "Blessed Be Your Name." In 2004, it reached number 2 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart, where it remained for 68 weeks. In 2005, it was awarded Worship Song of the Year. The singer blesses God in every situation he faces in life, whether in material prosperity or poverty, whether life smiles on him or in sufferings.
It is one thing to write a theological treatise on suffering or to sing a song about blessing God in any circumstance, and another to actually live through suffering. But by imitating the steadfastness of Job, we again prove Satan wrong, as he continues to accuse us of loving the gifts more than the Giver. May the biblical Job lead us to reflect upon our worship and service to God, and may Christ's grace empower us to offer our lives for the sake of others.