St Teresa of the Child Jesus | Thursday 1 October 2020

Today is Thursday the 1 October, the Feast of St Teresa of the Child Jesus, in the 26th week of Ordinary Time.  

Bifrost Arts sing, ‘O God, Will You Restore Us’. As you begin to pray today, is there something you would like to ask the Lord to restore today? Either in yourself, or perhaps the world…  

Today’s reading is from the Book of Job.  

Job 19:21-27a  

Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me! Why do you, like God, pursue me, never satisfied with my flesh? O that my words were written down! O that they were inscribed in a book! O that with an iron pen and with lead they were engraved on a rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

Job is suffering, even though he knows he has done nothing wrong. Yet he doesn’t lose his trust in God’s loving care. Does this bring to mind any testing times that you’ve experienced in your own life?  

The name that Job gives to God, “my Redeemer” literally means something like the one who releases hostages, or lets those in prison go free.  Where might you, or those close to you, need a Redeemer like this?

  Job speaks of a God “whom I shall see on my side”. Do you know that feeling at all; the feeling of having God on your side?  What’s that like?  

As you listen again, notice how Job speaks of his firm hope even while he is suffering.  

Speak for a moment to God of your own hopes, and notice any reply that God makes.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.