The Book of Job and it's relationship to Lent

When it comes to wealth, many are confused that the bible claims wealth is inherently evil, but they also see at the same time, many of biblical figures, Abraham, David, and Job having great power and wealth. So two extremes are formed, that wealth is inherently good (prosperity gospel) or that wealth is inherently evil. But let us take a deeper look into scripture, specifically in Job's case, who had great possession and wealth, but lost it all in suffering. Now many associate the story with just, what to do when bad things happen. Which is true, but I invite you to dive deeper into the story, of Job's faith in God.

Despite all he suffered, from lost of family, of riches, to even his physical health. He still had his faith in God in his prayers, even in moments he says of many harsh realities regarding men. No where did he expect anything to return to him, only that God has the power to give, and to take away. Now of course at the end, he does have everything back, even double. But God didn't have to do that, because that's not the point of the story. The point is being that our faith is valuable, while material things will pass away, God's words will not. Job did not put his attachment on material goods , but on the spiritual things of heaven. He may enjoy all that he has, but ultimately, his heart is on God.
The season of Lent is a season of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Many people practice lent yearly, but most don't understand why they do what they do. Of course, some of us have the catholic guilt if we don't give up something for lent, we are unworthy in the eyes of God. but the purpose of fasting is not solely just to abstain for the sake of abstaining. Neither is it to say the material is evil (that is the heresy Gnosticism) but to weaken our attachment to the material, to prevent these attachment from taking over our heart, that ultimately belongs to God. Fasting is to help bring a interior conversion to God, thus the saying, rent your hearts not your garments. That's why Christ Criticized the Pharisees. Not because they observed their Jewish observances of Fasting, Prayer, and Almsgiving. But because they reduced the purpose of those observances to only the material, only the appearance. Thus why Christ tells us when we do these things, be not like the hypocrites, but do these things in private, so that your father in heaven may reward you. Because the fasting God wants, is one that doesn't lead to just praise and only the appearance of holiness, but real holiness through an interior conversion. As it says in the book of the Prophet Isaiah:

"Behold you fast for debates and strife, and strike with the fist wickedly. Do not fast as you have done until this day, to make your cry to be heard on high. Is this such a fast as I have chosen: for a man to afflict his soul for a day? is this it, to wind his head about like a circle, and to spread sackcloth and ashes? wilt thou call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? loose the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress, let them that are broken go free, and break asunder every burden. Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily arise, and thy justice shall go before thy face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up." (Isaiah 58:4-8)

So today on Ash Wednesday, as we continue to practice our Lenten Observances, let us be reminded of Job's story, so may Grasp on what Christ words meant:

"Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through, and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also." (St. Matthew 6:19-21)