On Suffering

The readings from today began so very bleak and depressing.  We started off with Job in the throes of his despair-

Reading 1 Jb 7:1-4, 6-7

Job spoke, saying:
Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, "When shall I arise?"
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.

The Psalm was a word of hope, the refrain being-

Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

Then on to the NT and Gospel readings where Paul speaks of the obligation he has to preach the Gospel, and what he must do and become in order to try and save us, and Jesus began his healing ministry.

I was haunted though by Job's words, "I shall never see happiness again". How often do I feel that way? How quick am I to forget that my God is a God of healing. That He heals not only the body (as in the Gospel today), but also He heals the brokenhearted.