Friday 8 October 2021
Today is Friday the 8
October in the 27th week of Ordinary time.
BifrostArts sing, ‘O God, will You restore us?’
Today’s reading is from the Prophet Joel.
Joel 1:13-15;2:1-2
Put on sackcloth and lament, you priests;
wail, you ministers of the altar.
Come, pass the night in sackcloth,
you ministers of my God!
Grain-offering and drink-offering
are withheld from the house of your God.
Sanctify a fast,
call a solemn assembly.
Gather the elders
and all the inhabitants of the land
to the house of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.
Alas for the day!
For the day of the Lord is near,
and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near—
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains
a great and powerful army comes;
their like has never been from of old,
nor will be again after them
in ages to come.
The reading from Joel reminds us that prayer is not always a pleasant experience. How does that statement sound to you? Have there been times when prayer has been difficult, particularly in an attitude of repentance?
Notice that Joel calls the religious leaders and elders to repentance first. We are all in the same situation but shame can often point fingers elsewhere but we should start with ourselves. Taking responsibility, in the knowledge that we are all sinners, can bring moments of grace. How do you respond to this idea? Notices what arises for you…
As you listen to the reading again, hear and respond to the call to repentance and prayer.
As this time of prayer comes to a close, you might like to bring to the Lord anything that has been challenging for you as you’ve prayed. Or, you might simply want to offer a gesture of thanks to God now…
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.