For Nothing

The First Reading of today's liturgy of the commemoration of St. Vincent de Paul, priest, offers to us a richness of meaning and insight into our own spiritual attitude and relationship with God and the world...
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Satan also came among them.
And the LORD said to Satan, "Whence do you come?"
Then Satan answered the LORD and said,
"From roaming the earth and patrolling it."
And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job,
and that there is no one on earth like him,
blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?"
But Satan answered the LORD and said,
"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."
And the LORD said to Satan,
"Behold, all that he has is in your power;
only do not lay a hand upon his person."
So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

And so one day, while his sons and his daughters
were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
a messenger came to Job and said,
"The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them,
and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid.
They put the herdsmen to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
"Lightning has fallen from heaven
and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them;
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said,
"The Chaldeans formed three columns,
seized the camels, carried them off,
and put those tending them to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
"Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
when suddenly a great wind came across the desert
and smote the four corners of the house.
It fell upon the young people and they are dead;
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair.
He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,

"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!"

In all this Job did not sin,
nor did he say anything disrespectful of God." >> (Jb 1:6-22)

One question in particular stroke me hard... "Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing? (...) But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has, and surely he will blaspheme you to your face"...

Is it not true that we are perfect God worshipers when everything goes right in our lives and we get what we want from God as demanding children who want proofs of love from their loving parents? What happens when sometimes things aren't right or heaven falls silent to our petitions and demands, when things fall apart in our lives... Do we still love and fear God our loving and merciful Father FOR NOTHING?

Did we ever say or think anything disrespectful to God in times of loss, pain, trouble and hardships?

And it is not even a New Testament of relationship with God our Father as Jesus taught us! Job is a representative of a passive reception of suffering in his life, and still eventually got his handsome reward afterward...

How about us who claim to be Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, who were taught the meaning of the cross and suffering as an active weapon of destruction of the Evil One in our lives and the world? How do we see and understand suffering, pain, loss and times of distress when everything goes just wrong in our loves? Is it a loathsome package and parcel in our miserable lives on earth we try to avoid with all costs? Do we love and respect God for something in return? Or do we resemble Job, who accept passively suffering and loss in our lives, knowing that if we stay polite to God and withstand the times of trouble, eventually God will see our faithfulness and will reward us handsomely? If so, we are still in the Old Testament!

If we accept suffering as an excellent opportunity and weapon to spread goodness, love and fight alongside Christ for the salvation of the world, that is something else. And we will love and fear God for nothing, as we will know that expecting anything in return for our filial love and service in His Kingdom would be an insult to our filial relationship with Him and we would turn into hired workers in His vineyard...