4 October 2018
Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi
As he lamented his troubles, Job actually asked his friends for pity. “Pity me,” he said, “pity me, O you my friends” (Job 19:21). Asking for pity??!! Hm. Do you think that Job was a pathetic weakling whom tribulation had broken down into a sniveling, irrational mass of flesh? I don’t. I think that Job did an exemplary job bearing his burdens. In fact, I think the whole point of the divinely inspired book of Job is to illustrate for us a saintly example for imitation, should the circumstances call for it, so let’s reflect on this carefully.
The statement with which we are more familiar, “I don’t need your pity,” although it seems to be the opposite of Job’s statement, may sometimes be true, depending on who is being addressed. Someone who is not a friend or who does not have our best interests at heart may show pity for the sake of some ulterior motive. We have every right to reject that. Nevertheless, we are social animals by design. Whether our troubles are great or small, at the end of the day, we all do need someone’s pity, especially that of friends, as Job teaches us.
Above all, we need pity from the one who loves us the best, viz. God, himself. Kyrie eleison is typically translated as Lord, have mercy, but it may also be translated as Lord, have pity.