It is 30th September 2016. We celebrate the memorial of St Jerome, the Priest and the Doctor of the Church. The readings are from Job 38:1, 12-21, 40:3-5; and the Gospel from Luke 10:13-16. The first reading presents with the most important section of the book of Job in which we read God clarifies Job by pointing out his ignorance in understanding the law of nature and led him to know his inability to understand the mind and character of God. Suffering is the highest mystery. There is no criteria or logic why should the innocent suffer. God is the standard of justice. God does everything according to the moral perfection. God is the antidote for all our sufferings. Our humble submission to the plan of God is the only solution to face the sufferings. There is no law on earth could cry foul against God and the way God handles us and our lives. It is still just and orderly in the mind of God even though it looks unfair in front of the laws of the world. God’s Son himself is not exempted to sufferings. No one can accuse God for the things that happen around us and demand answers from God. Most of the times we do not have answers when things do not go the way we like. When we lose a job, someone so close to our being dies or suffers terminal illness, finances are outrageously tight, we fail something so important or the unexpected or the inevitable happens, we just need to allow God to reveal God’s plan and purpose in all these. Regardless of what we think is fair, God does the best for us. God cares and loves us just as God demonstrated to Job. Sufferings are the profound moments in which we begin to compromise with the mighty plan of God, and to know who God is and who we are as tiny and puny creatures. The responsorial Psalm prays, “Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.” (Ps.138:24). The Gospel teaches us that God desires to be the centre and reason for our life and happiness. The unbelief, the spiritual indifference, the materialistic outlook, the pride of intelligence will lead us to reject not only the messengers of the Gospel but also the message of Christ and pin pointedly Christ himself. May the Lord bless you to be obedient till the end in trusting the wisdom of God. Have a good day.