ST. THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS, VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH (MEMORIAL)

My own eyes, not another’s, shall behold him. 

Was God punishing Job for his sins? That’s what Job’s friends told him. Why else, they reasoned, would he be in such torment?

But Job knew that he was innocent. Even if God had allowed his suffering, Job just couldn’t accept that it was because of his sins (Job 19:21). He even declared that someday he would be vindicated and that he would “behold [God]” with his own eyes (19:27).

When something bad happens, like a natural disaster or the recent coronavirus pandemic, we can be tempted to see it as a sign of God’s judgment against us. That’s especially true when something tragic happens to us personally, like the loss of a child or a debilitating illness or accident.

One of the problems of linking our suffering with God’s punishment, however, is that it can skew our perception of who God is. We may begin to see him as angry and vengeful, not as the compassionate merciful Father that Jesus revealed to us. It may also make us fearful, afraid that our every sin or misstep will bring on misfortune. But of course, that’s not who God is. He is a good God who wants only what is good for us.

So what are we to think when disaster strikes? First, remember that some things that may look like punishment are simply the natural consequences of sin. If we fail to forgive, for example, we may grow hard and bitter. If we overeat, we may end up with a chronic disease. God allows such things, but he doesn’t actively will them.

Second, we need to keep in mind that we live in a fallen world. Illness, death, and natural disasters were never God’s intention for us; they came into the world through sin. One day, when Christ comes again, God will be “all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28). And what a day that will be! There will be no more suffering and no more tears. Like Job, we will behold God with our own eyes—along with the beauty of his perfect creation.

“Father, I praise you for your mercy and faithfulness.”

Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14
Luke 10:1-12