God’s Mastery Over Evil

In the midst of the Church, we Sisters embark on this Holy Week, walking with Christ, and meditating prayerfully on quite a bit of Wisdom Literature during the past several weeks, through our latest course from Augustine Institute on Wisdom Literature and the Psalms. It might seem surprising to spend so much time in the Old Testament as we follow Jesus to Calvary this week, but in Jesus’ own words on the way to Emmaus, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:26-27).

Some Sisters recently reflected on Job in our class essay: “God’s mastery over evil is not as obvious as that over the material world. Job spends quite a bit of time putting his misfortunes on trial because he doesn’t understand why he suffers, asking the question ‘Why?’ five times in sixteen verses. Interestingly though, when God finally reveals Himself to Job, Job’s words convey the impression that the face-to-face encounter with God is more than adequate compensation for his affliction. In the end, Job knows no more about why he suffered at the end of the story than he did at the beginning. But he has seen the face of God.”

As Christ Himself says, all of these events in the Old Testament point to Him. And during this Holy Week, God’s compassion on the fallen human race and His mastery over evil is unquestionably demonstrated through His victory at the Cross. Any suffering, any affliction, any unanswered question finds its fulfillment through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. God revealed in the Old Testament that He himself is the only answer to Job’s question, “Why?” Even more so this Holy Week, Jesus shows us the visible explanation of God’s answer that each and every one of our sufferings is taken up, offered to the Father, and included in the sacrifice of His own blood. Let us walk with Jesus this week, knowing that when we unite everything we have to the Cross, nothing is ever offered or suffered in vain, and everything is brought to light and glory in the Resurrection.