Chapter 29 (Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent)

Job again took up his discourse and said: 
‘O that I were as in the months of old,
   as in the days when God watched over me; 
when his lamp shone over my head,
   and by his light I walked through darkness; 
when I was in my prime,
   when the friendship of God was upon my tent; 
when the Almighty was still with me,
   when my children were around me; 
when my steps were washed with milk,
   and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! 
When I went out to the gate of the city,
   when I took my seat in the square, 
the young men saw me and withdrew,
   and the aged rose up and stood; 
the nobles refrained from talking,
   and laid their hands on their mouths; 
the voices of princes were hushed,
   and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. 
When the ear heard, it commended me,
   and when the eye saw, it approved; 
because I delivered the poor who cried,
   and the orphan who had no helper. 
The blessing of the wretched came upon me,
   and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. 
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
   my justice was like a robe and a turban. 
I was eyes to the blind,
   and feet to the lame. 
I was a father to the needy,
   and I championed the cause of the stranger. 
I broke the fangs of the unrighteous,
   and made them drop their prey from their teeth. 
Then I thought, “I shall die in my nest,
   and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix; 
my roots spread out to the waters,
   with the dew all night on my branches; 
my glory was fresh with me,
   and my bow ever new in my hand.” 

‘They listened to me, and waited,
   and kept silence for my counsel. 
After I spoke they did not speak again,
   and my word dropped upon them like dew. 
They waited for me as for the rain;
   they opened their mouths as for the spring rain. 
I smiled on them when they had no confidence;
   and the light of my countenance they did not extinguish. 
I chose their way, and sat as chief,
   and I lived like a king among his troops,
   like one who comforts mourners. 

Commentary

That is the way things are. A man may indeed accomplish innumerable good deeds, but if he does not master this he will never attain peace. Instead, he will always oppress himself and oppress others and his labours will go for nothing. (St. Dorotheus of Gaza, Instructions)

Musical Selection (Annie Herring)

Sometimes when I'm weary
And I lose my foothold
And I slip into a place
Where I have never been before
Frightened, disillusioned
Surrounded by shadows
Somehow I go beyond myself
And deep within my soul

I cry for mercy
I cry for mercy
I cry for mercy, O Lord

Worry, never worry
When you're filled with sorrow
Sometimes it takes a broken heart
To see the light of day
That's when I remember
How to see through shadows
I let His light shine through my prayer
And deep within my soul

I cry for mercy
I cry for mercy
I cry for mercy, O Lord

Collect

God of mercy,
you reward the just for the good they do
and forgive repentant sinners;
take pity on us and answer our prayer,
that as we confess our guilt
we may hear the voice of your pardon.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.