Job, the Homeless Man, and the Kingdom of Forward Thinkers

Today we continue on our journey with Job.  So far in our scriptures this week, he has "blessed the name of the Lord, (Job 1:21) and wished that he'd never been born. (Job 3:3)  Today, Job simply feels abandoned and alone: "Should he come near me, I see him not; should he pass by, I am not aware of him." (Job 9: 11)

This begs the question, do we really recognize the Lord in our midst?

I would venture to say that these days, a good Catholic sees Jesus at Mass, or in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  A good Catholic feels Jesus in their hearts as it is moved by a joyous song.  Finally, a good Catholic knows Jesus as they study the Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  But do we see Jesus at the soup kitchen, or experience Him in the not so pleasant smell of the homeless man asking for money, or know Him in the frustration of trying to teach the kid who can't pass the test?

Whether He is seen in the chapel, or experienced in the sound of music, or in the holy Gospel, Jesus is calling for us: "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head. [So follow me!]  (Lk. 9: 58)  But many are like Job, so even though Christ is near, they cannot see him in the prisons, or experience Him in the stench of the alley way, or understand Him in the reluctance of the remedial classroom.  Frankly, at moments like these, most of us are just "not aware of Him."

Jesus went on to remind us that "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God." (Lk. 9: 62)  Job spent a lot of time looking back at all the sad events and results of his life to date, and simply could not focus on the presence of God, for all of the distractions around him.  You and me seek the "creature comforts" of the faith, and dedicate ourselves to the many vehicles for experiencing Christ in our midst, but are we focusing on the Good News that lies ahead of us?  Will we notice the needs around us and respond?  Will we step into the alley way and help find the lost?  Will we seek to discover unique ways to share the Gospel with those who aren't quite ready for the thick books?

The great contemporary Christian music composer, Rich Mullins sang a song about today's Gospel, and did so with a wonderfully subtle twist: "Birds have nests.  Foxes have dens.  But the hope of the whole world rests on the shoulders of a homeless man; on the shoulders of a homeless man."

Today we are being called to look ahead and think in a forward manner, noting all that needs to be done along the way.  Notice too that there's not much time for doing anything else, just sharing the Gospel.