December 5: The Day of the Lord

Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by eundurance and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.  May the God of endurance and encouragement grants us to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:4-6, 13

Blow the trumpet in Zion,
sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all who dwell in the land tremble,
for the day of the LORD is coming.

Joel 2:1

Thus the word of the Lord came to me:  Son of man, speak this prophecy:  Thus says the Lord GOD: Cry, Oh, the day!  for near is the day, near is the day of the LORD; a day of clouds, doomsday for the nations it shall be.

Ezekiel 30:1-3

Gather, gather yourselves together,
  O nation without shame!
Before you are driven away,
  like chaff that passes on;
Before there comes upon you
  the blazing anger of the LORD;
Before there comes upon you
  the day of the LORD's anger.
Seek justice, seek humility;
  perhaps you may be sheltered
on the day of the LORD's anger.

Zephaniah 2:1-3

This old night, this old night,
  Every night and all,
Fire, and sleet, and candle light,
  And Christ receive thy soul.

A lyle-wake dirge

We are a wounded people;
we can love each other, forgive each other
and celebrate together our oneness.
Perhaps we can only truly accept this humiliation
if we live an experience similar to the one
lived by the prodigal son.
If we discover that we are loved and forgiven
  and accepted by the Father just as we are,
  in all our brokenness,
  with all the darkness and pain inside us,
then we too can weep in the arms of God,
rejoicing in his forgiveness.

Yes the cry and the anguish of the poor
triggers off our own cry and anguish;
we touch our point of pain and helplessness.

But then we discover the new name of God,
the name revealed by Jesus,
of the Spirit, by the Holy Spirit;
the Father will send a "Paraclete."
It is a beautiful name, meaning literally
"the one who answers the cry or the call,"
like a mother
who takes in her arms her weeping child.
She is a paraclete.
The name of god is "the one who answers the cry,"
Mercy and misery embrace!
We can only know the incredible mercy and love of God
if we accept to descend into our misery
and there cry out to him.
Then he will answer, "Here I am, Beloved,"
and will enfold us in his arms
with a long embrace.

Jean Vernier