Faithfulness and Constancy

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Saturday, 26th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, and the Memorial of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, October 3rd, 2020

Texts: Job 42:1-3.5-6.12-17; Ps. 119:66.71.75.91.125.30; Luke 10:17-24

Faithfulness is not without blessings; the sacrifice paid to be faithful is not in vain. Today's Readings show that faithfulness to God is rewarding. This brings to mind Proverbs 3:3-6: "Let faithful love and constancy never leave you; tie them round your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Thus you will find favour and success in the sight of God and of people. Trust wholeheartedly in Yahweh, put no faith in your own perception; acknowledge him in every course you take and he will see that your paths are smooth."

Job was always faithful to God and did not fail to profess in his faith in God in trying moment. In today's first reading, it is written thus: "Then Job answered the Lord: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted." He acknowledged his ignorance and repented. He knew better by his trials. He says, "I had heard of you by hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Having displayed faithful love and constancy before God, God blessed him more than before; he reaped the fruit of faithfulness and constancy. It is said, "And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, ....." 

When we display faithful love and constancy before God, the Devil is put to shame and defeated. Faithfulness and constancy make us victors over the Devil and his angels. Hence, in today's gospel reading, it is said, "The seventy returned with joy, saying, 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name." What granted them the victory is Faithfulness to his name. Job, in the first reading, defeated the Devil by his faithfulness and constancy. 

Today is also the Memorial of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus. It is said she asked that God consumed her entirely and made her a martyr of his love. It is said of her thus: "She was convinced that everyone is called to  holiness and that she, a 'little soul', needed to find a 'little way' to achieve it. She did not indulge in any extraordinary mortifications bu sought to perform every task for the greater glory of God" (Paul Burns, Butler's Saints, p.465). Thomas Pzhayampallil, in the Words of Eternal Life, says, "St. Theresa of the Child Jesus did not do great things. She writes: I tried to do good on a small scale, having no opportunity to do it on a large scale. I would fold the mantles of the sisters left lying about. When she was annoyed by a sister who made a constant grating noise as she prayed, she tried to stay still and tried to get closer to God; she tried to forget it; ...."

We are to learn from St. Theresa of the Child Jesus how to do little things for the greater glory of God. Simple greeting, showing concern, practicing Courtesy, helping others to get things right, etc, are little ways in which we can do things for the greater glory of God.

God our Father, instill in us attitude of faithfulness and constancy that we might always be victorious over the Devil and his angels. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke