Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Apostles Fast
Holy Prophet Amos; Augustine of Hippo
Kellia: Job 2:1-13 Epistle: Romans 7:14-25 Gospel: St. Matthew 10:9-15
Job 2:1-13 LXX, especially vs. 9: "And when much time had passed, his wife said to
him, How long wilt thou hold out, saying, Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance?" In
striking at Job and his household in the first round of adversity, the devil stripped from God's Prophet all the external
supports that create strength and facility for daily living. From Job's wife we learn that the satanic maelstrom which took
their herds and flocks and servants reduced the Prophet and his wife to wandering as casual laborers for survival (vs. 9).
Ever malignant, the devil struck again, now removing Job's physical reserve by corrupting his body with a mass of boils
and pain (vs.7). Thus, the Prophet withdrew from society to "a dung-heap outside the city....among the corruption of
worms" (vss. 8,9).
Now we may behold the real strength of the Prophet's character, a resilience that enabled him to continue as "a harmless,
true, blameless, godly man, abstaining from all evil" even when brought to a "dreadful and very great" affliction (vs. 13).
The inner strength of Job's person is revealed in his endurance without sinning "at all with his lips before God" because of
the "evil things" that had befallen him (vs .9), by his embracing of humility "upon a dung-heap outside the city" (vs. 8), and
by his unflagging "hope of...deliverance" by God (vs. 9).
Like the Lord Jesus, the Prophet Job continued in every virtue which he possessed through a resolute submission to the will
of God. How well we know that the Lord Jesus, "the Author and Finisher of our faith....for the joy that was set before Him
endured the Cross, despising the shame" (Heb. 12:2) and triumphed over the leader of "the rulers of the darkness of this
age" (Eph. 6:12). Likewise, the righteous Job, enduring a host of evil things, both external as well as in his own body, also
triumphed over the devil. Therefore, let us heed the admonition of St. Augustine of Hippo: "Let Him dwell in you, Who
cannot be overcome, and you shall securely overcome him who is wont to overcome....those in whom God does not dwell."
The wonder of Job's embrace of humility on a dung-heap most poignantly reveals another facet of his strength of character.
He was free, even though bound in body, from all bitterness toward God. His selection of a place outside human habitation
and among the worms, signals not resignation to fate, but his godly espousal of being humbled. His act gives flesh to St.
Isaac the Syrian's call to "love humility in all [our] activities, that [we] be delivered from the imperceptible snares that are
always found outside the pathways of humble men. Do not reject afflictions," says St. Isaac, "for through them you will
enter into the knowledge of the truth; and do not fear temptations, because therein you will find precious things."
Supremely, Job's strength of character is manifest in his constant "hope of...deliverance" by God (vs. 9). Rather than "say
some word against the Lord and die" (vs. 9), the Prophet refused his wife's exhortation, being one whom St. Augustine
calls "a man now well-skilled, though a mortal born, who even as he sat on the dunghill, putrefying with worms, overcame
the devil." As St. Hesychios of Jerusalem asks: "So was it in vain that God delivered Job to this struggle? Did He indeed
not know the combatant? Did the King indeed not know His soldier?" No, Job was, indeed, God's true warrior! While
we may feel sympathy for the profound sufferings of Job, let us also offer praise to our God Who is glorious in His Saints.
Let us agree with St. Hesychios and be partakers of Job's holy strength of person, striving ourselves to be "pure in all
torments" and "strong and resolute," having "God as a witness to our righteousness." Thou hast become a tower of true
worship, securely founded on the rock of faith, uncloven by temptations and unshaken by tribulations, O holy Prophet Job,
pray to Christ for us.
