In 1929, the stock market crashed and banks closed. It was that year that the Great Depression years began. Many people lost fortunes and jobs.
It was a time not only of economic depression but also of emotional depression. Thousands of people experienced despair when they lost all their savings and had no other resources on which to depend.
The Book of Job tells us about a man who has lost everything—wealth, family, and health. Job's lamentation, "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." These words echo the depths of human despair. Job feels abandoned. His days "come to an end without hope," a sentiment that, unfortunately, is all too familiar in our world today.
Job's suffering is a cry that went unheard by his friends, who failed to offer the comfort and understanding he needed. In contrast, Jesus shows us the way of active compassion—not only does He touch and heal, but He also listens to those who come to Him and pray for them.
As followers of Christ, we are His hands, ears, and heart in the world. We say that the Church is the Body of Christ in the world. We are the Church, we are the Body of Christ. There are "Jobs" among us today—people suffering from war, illness, loneliness, despair, or poverty. Like Jesus, we are to touch, listen, and pray for them. To touch means to reach out to those in need, offering physical assistance and presence. To listen means to provide a compassionate ear, understanding that sometimes, being heard is a form of healing. To pray means to lift up those suffering to God, entrusting them to His care and asking for His intervention.
This calling is not easy. It requires us to step out of our comfort zones, to confront pain and suffering, and to offer ourselves as instruments of God's healing grace. Yet, in doing so, we truly become the body of Christ, His hands, His ears, and His heart in the world.
NQ