So let's talk about today's readings 10/10/09

[cheeto1]

October 10, 2009

Reading 1
Jl 4:12-21

Thus says the LORD:
Let the nations bestir themselves and come up
to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
For there will I sit in judgment
upon all the neighboring nations. Apply the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe;
Come and tread,
for the wine press is full;
The vats overflow,
for great is their malice.
Crowd upon crowd
in the valley of decision;
For near is the day of the LORD
in the valley of decision.
Sun and moon are darkened,
and the stars withhold their brightness.
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.
And then, on that day,
the mountains shall drip new wine,
and the hills shall flow with milk;
And the channels of Judah
shall flow with water:
A fountain shall issue from the house of the LORD,
to water the Valley of Shittim.
Egypt shall be a waste,
and Edom a desert waste,
Because of violence done to the people of Judah,
because they shed innocent blood in their land.
But Judah shall abide forever,
and Jerusalem for all generations.
I will avenge their blood,
and not leave it unpunished.
The LORD dwells in Zion.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12

R. (12a) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his 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 his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Gospel
Lk 11:27-28

While Jesus was speaking,
a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,
“Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed.”
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.”

 

[cheeto1]

“Crowd upon crowd
in the valley of decision;
For near is the day of the LORD
in the valley of decision”
– We are in the valley of decision every day. It’s a valley, and we can’t see over
the top. We also can’t see the “crowd upon crowd”, or “host upon host” as my
translation calls it. I looked up “host” and the first definition was “army”. Yes,
there is an army in the valley of decision with us. We can’t see it, because it
is the spiritual world. They are battling over our decision. What will we decide?
Whatever we decide, our main consideration should be that the day of the Lord
is near. Of course, we also think of another meaning for “host”, holy communion.
Even as the day of the Lord is near, Jesus is very near in the Eucharist.

“Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.”
– the results, of following Proverbs 3:5, in the valley of decision.

"He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.” "
– An obedient heart is blessed, rather than a physical body.

So what struck you about today’s readings? :bible1::twocents: