Jeff Bezos is a modern “giant.” As CEO of Amazon, he is regarded as the richest man in the world. We wonder where Mr. Bezos will be fifty years from now. Will he still be rich, famous, and powerful? What will be his legacy? No doubt as he begins to age someone else fill his shoes, and in time the “Kingdom of Amazon” will begin to fade out of existence. In time, few will remember even his name.
What defines a true “giant?” Today we celebrate the feast day of one who resembled anything but a giant in this life, St. Francis of Assisi. He struggled to build a community of men who sold themselves out for Jesus. In the end he was blind, in great pain, and agonized over the fact that his life project—his community of disciples—seemed to be falling apart. Now, almost a thousand years later, the seed planted by Francis has become one of the tallest “trees” in the world. Franciscans cover the earth and continue to bring the vision of Francis to millions of people. Francis was a “hidden giant.” His work has endured the test of time, and he is honored by Christians and non-Christians alike.
Today we continue to read about another “hidden giant,” Job. Whether or not he was a fictitious character, he stands out as one of the holiest men who ever lived. During his season of suffering, however, he was looked down on even by his so-called friends. Today we find out the secret of what made this man of God “tick” (Job 19:21-17). He says:
“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. And from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing.”
The inner flame that even the greatest suffering could not extinguish, was Job’s confidence that God lived and that in time he would see God with his own eyes. Nothing on this earth, including his health, his friends, or his reputation for holiness compared to his longing to see his Vindicator.
At Baptism God plants the seed of “greatness” in each of us. He puts a flame in our hearts that consumes us with a desire to see him. This grace within us will eventually blossom into a “legacy” that will endure for thousands of years, even if our names are no longer remembered.
Those who sell out for Jesus in this life will truly inherit the earth—they shall have their fill—the Kingdom of God shall be theirs.
Will we give a total “yes” to Jesus during the days we have left on this earth? Will we allow him to take us through the furnace of suffering so that, in time, he can vindicate us and let us see him with our own eyes?
“I believe I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps 27:13).
