Devotion for Proper 22 (Ackerman)

Above:  Job and His Friends, by Ilya Repin

Image in the Public Domain

Hardship and Compassion

OCTOBER 8, 2023

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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:

Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,

that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,

which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ,  who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236

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Job 3

Psalm 119:113-120

2 Corinthians 11:16-31

John 8:39-47

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The theme of hardship unites the assigned readings for this day.  The Psalmist prays for deliverance and affirms his fidelity to God.  Job, suffering with divine permission for no sin, curses the fact of his existence yet refuses to curse God and die.  St. Paul the Apostle cites his hardships as his apostolic credentials.  And, in the Gospel of John, the life of Jesus is in peril from people claiming to be faithful to God.

Reading the Book of Job and the Gospel of John is an interesting experience.  In the Johannine Gospel the glorification of Jesus involves his crucifixion–his execution by an ignominious method, and not for any sin he had committed. This contradicts the theology of Job’s alleged friends, who defended their God concepts.  As we read in Job, these alleged friends angered God (42:7-8).

Whenever we encounter people experiencing hardship, the proper response is compassionate in nature.  Particulars will, of course, vary from circumstance to circumstance, but the element of compassion will always be present.  We, if we are to respond properly, must be sure that, although we might need to act compassionately, we actually do so.  This is possible via grace.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JUNE 20, 2017 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF BERNARD ADAM GRUBE, GERMAN-AMERICAN MINISTER, MISSIONARY, COMPOSER, AND MUSICIAN

THE FEAST OF SAINT BAIN OF FONTANELLE, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP, MONK, MISSIONARY, AND ABBOT

THE FEAST OF JOHANN FRIEDRICH HERTZOG, GERMAN LUTHERAN HYMN WRITER

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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2017/06/20/hardship-and-compassion/

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