Catholic Commentary on Job 29

"How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me." (Job 29:2)

Job's Former Blessings

How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness! How I long for the days when I was in my prime, when God's intimate friendship blessed my house. In those days Job was respected at the city gate; the young men stepped aside; the old men rose to their feet; the chief men refrained from speaking. He was like a king among his troops. He rescued the poor who cried for help, the fatherless who had none to assist them. He was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame; he was a father to the needy. He wore righteousness as his clothing; justice was his robe and his turban. He thought: I will die in my own house; my days as numerous as the grains of sand.

The Catechism draws from Job's description of his former life the portrait of the just person whose righteousness expresses itself in concrete care for the vulnerable: the eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, father to the needy (CCC 2447).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Job's former life was not only personally blessed - it was socially productive. He was eyes, feet, father, and defender to those who had none. The good life is the life that makes others' lives more possible. His suffering took everything except the memory of what goodness looks like. Let that memory be your compass.

Prayer

Lord God, let our good days be the days when we are eyes to the blind and feet to the lame and father to the needy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

29
Job’s Former Blessings
1 And Job continued his discourse:
 
2 “How I long for the months gone by,
for the days when God watched over me,
3 when His lamp shone above my head,
and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 when I was in my prime,* 29:4 Hebrew in the time of my harvest
when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children were around me,
6 when my steps were bathed in cream
and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
 
7 When I went out to the city gate
and took my seat in the public square,
8 the young men saw me and withdrew,
and the old men rose to their feet.
9 The princes refrained from speaking
and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the nobles were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 For those who heard me called me blessed,
and those who saw me commended me,
12 because I rescued the poor who cried out
and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 The dying man blessed me,
and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
justice was my robe and my turban.
15 I served as eyes to the blind
and as feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 I shattered the fangs of the unjust
and snatched the prey from his teeth.
 
18 So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest
and multiply my days as the sand.
19 My roots will spread out to the waters,
and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 My glory is ever new within me,
and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
 
21 Men listened to me with expectation,
waiting silently for my counsel.
22 After my words, they spoke no more;
my speech settled on them like dew.
23 They waited for me as for rain
and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 If I smiled at them, they did not believe it;
the light of my countenance was precious.
25 I chose their course and presided as chief.
So I dwelt as a king among his troops,
as a comforter of the mourners.

*29:4 29:4 Hebrew in the time of my harvest

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