Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
October 9, 2021
Today, in God’s Lavish Mercy, we pray with Psalm 97 which is built on two themes:
- God reigns over all the earth
- those who acknowledge God’s power have abundant reason to rejoice
This is good news for the people to whom Joel is preaching! Joel’s community has been devastated by locusts and drought. They are surrounded by adversaries. Life is just not easy for them. They have felt abandoned by God.
But Joel tells them that indeed God is annoyed, but still is always on the side of the faithful.
The LORD roars from Zion,
and from Jerusalem raises his voice;
The heavens and the earth quake,
but the LORD is a refuge to his people,
a stronghold to the children of Israel.
Then shall you know that I, the LORD, am your God,
dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain;
Jerusalem shall be holy,
and strangers shall pass through her no more.
Psalm 97 reflects the same confident promise to all who suffer. Despite everything we are to rejoice!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim God’s justice,
and all peoples see God’s glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to God’s holy name.
So we are encouraged to heed Joel’s advice – to stir up our hearts in faith, to look around at all the faith-filled promises of nature mentioned in our first reading. We can learn:
- from the sun which both rises and sets
- from the moon which turns its mood but never disappears
- from snow and rain which cycle invisibly through the years
- from the leaves which hold the secret of eternal life
God abides with us, even amidst the “droughts” and “locusts”. And if we are faithful, all will be well.
Poetry: There are many wonderful images in Joel 4. One is that of the “Valley of Decision”, an image that has lent itself to many applications in art and literature. Here is one such poem:
The Valley of Decision by John Oxenham
The World is in the Valley of Decision;
It is standing at the parting of the ways;
Will it climb the steps of God to realm elysian —
Or fall on horror of still darker days?
Will it free itself of every shameful shackle?
Will it claim the glorious freedom of the brave?
Will it lose the soul of Life in this debacle,
And sink into a mean dishonored grave?
All the world is in the Valley of Decision,
And out of it there is but one sure road;
Eyes unsealed can still foresee the mighty vision
Of a world in travail turning unto God.
All the world is in the Valley of Decision.
Who shall dare its future destiny foretell?
Will it yield its soul unto the Heavenly Vision,
Or sink despairing into its own hell?
The World is in the Valley of Decision;
— It is standing at the parting of the ways;
Will it climb the steps of God to realm elysian —
— Or fall on horror of still darker days?
Will it free itself of every shameful shackle?
— Will it claim the glorious freedom of the brave?
Will it lose the soul of Life in this debacle,
— And sink into a mean dishonored grave?
All the world is in the Valley of Decision, —
And out of it there is but one sure road;
Eyes unsealed can still foresee the mighty vision
— Of a world in travail turning unto God.
All the world is in the Valley of Decision.
— Who shall dare its future destiny foretell?
Will it yield its soul unto the Heavenly Vision,
— Or sink despairing into its own hell?
Music: It Is Well – Kristene DiMarco
Lavish Mercy 