The answer God gives to Job totally links to our Gospel story. It answers the apostle's question after Jesus calmed the storm: “Who is this that even the wind obeys?” If they knew their Old Testament well, they would know who controls nature. That would be God.

It’s important to remember that God’s answer to Job as well as Jesus’ answer to the apostles were both answers to complaints. I’ve never worked in a store’s customer’s service department but sometimes as a pastor I “feel their pain.” I’ll bet many of you know what I’m talking about. Job, through no fault of his own, was suffering terribly. He surely had a lot to complain about. The apostles too were facing death. But there is a wonderful difference between Old Testament God and New Testament God.

God tells Job, “Shut up and stop your complaining, you don’t know squat. You weren’t around when I made the oceans or everything else for that matter.” Jesus on the other hand shows us a kinder God. The first is like the customer service agent who doesn’t want to give you a refund and the second is like the agent who says, “No problem, here’s your money back.” Obviously, that’s why we all like the God of the New Testament better than the Old. But let’s dig a little deeper.

Old Testament God is answering Job’s complaint with a complaint of His own. I’ve often imagined God’s answer to Job is like a parent’s response to a child’s complaint. Child: “Why can’t I get a car on my 18th birthday; all my friends are getting a car.” Parent: “Shut up, you have no idea about our family budget. You have no idea about how close I was to losing my job last year.” In this sense, Old Testament God’s complaint echoes Jesus’ complaint. Although Jesus comes through in the clutch and saves the day, Jesus complains that the apostles don’t have faith. Deep down Jesus knows that all the “storms” of life are really a result of humanity’s lack of true faith in the true God.

If the whole world knew the true God and obeyed His Commandments most of life’s problems would almost disappear. Old Testament God is saying almost the same thing. He says to Job, “Hey, I made the world perfect in the beginning. It’s you humans that messed it up. Don’t blame Me for the shape things are in today. I gave you freedom and you proved you couldn’t use it correctly.” This should encourage us to study our faith. Because just having faith isn’t enough: What do you believe? What is your moral compass telling you? Especially in the current secular environment, there are countless controversies. To react to many of the current issues with a “just have faith” isn’t enough. Adult Catholics need to take theological issues seriously. We need more wisdom than the old Beatles’ song “All you need is love.” We need true love of the true God found in the true church – and we need to proclaim and live it.