27 September 2022

After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. Job said:
‘Let the day perish on which I was born,
and the night that said,
“A man-child is conceived.”
‘Why did I not die at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?

From Job 3:1-3,11-17,20-23, NRSV

When we consider what had befallen Job, it is little surprise that he uttered these heartfelt words. Job had led a good and upright life, but his household had been attacked, his oxen and donkey and many of his servants had been killed. Fire had burned up his sheep and more of his servants. In another attack, his camels were stolen and more of his servants killed. A desert wind had destroyed his house and killed all of his children. To cap it all, he had been inflicted with a flesh-eating disease that caused great pain and distress. Although some of his friends came to be with him, they had no words of hope or comfort. Whilst he had endured the loss of everything without complaint, Job was now pushed beyond the point of endurance and opened his heart to the Lord.

• Who do you think Job’s words were addressed to?
• Have you ever felt like Job – who or what helped you at this time?

Pray today for those who have reached the point of thinking their lives not worth living – and also for those who work to support them. You may also wish to find out more about Saint Vincent de Paul (whose feast we celebrate today) in whose name comfort and relief has been brought to many people in great need.

Image: By Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55012089