United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

352 • Part III. Christian Morality: The Faith Lived

to offend God and is not deserving of such punishment. No matter how deep his anguish, he maintains his confidence in God:

But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; Whom I myself shall see: my own eyes, not another’s shall behold him, And from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing. (19:25-27)

Job does question why God has afflicted him in this way, and he wants to plead his cause before God. He narrates all the good things he has done and wants God to respond to his questioning. A young man joins the conversation between Job and his friends. He is severe in his condemnation of Job’s questioning of God. But then God suddenly appears to Job and says to him,

Who is this that obscures divine plans with words of ignorance? Gird up your loins now, like a man; I will question you, and you tell me the answers! Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its size; do you know? (38:2-5)

God then discloses to Job the majesty and order of creation, reveal ing himself as the Creator of all and as always mysterious in his workings. Job, the innocent man who has suffered, is privileged with an extraordi nary revelation of God’s wisdom and hiddenness. He is awed and over whelmed by God’s coming to him. He repents of his questioning and responds to God by acknowledging his greatness:

I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes. (42:2-5)