The Coming Day

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday of 27th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, October 8th, 2021
Texts: Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2; Ps. 9:2-3.6.16.8-9; Luke11:15-26
When we pray and hardly remember to pray for the world. Today's first reading reminds us of the end of time. As the last day is drawing closer we are called to pray and make reparation. In the reading the call to pray and make reparation goes to the ministers of God. Every faithful of God should see themselves as the ministers of God. We all have the responsibility to pray and make reparation for the sins of the world. Prophet Joel says, "Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests, wail, O ministers of the altar. Go in, pass the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God! Because cereal 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 to the Lord." We are reminded today that we have the assignment to pray and make reparation for the world.
We are not to pray and make reparation alone, we are to alert people about the coming of the day. Prophet Joel says, "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". We have the task to create the awareness of the Lord's coming. We have to live life in a way that shows that we are truly expecting the day of the Lord.
Jesus, in today's gospel reading, shows us how to prepare for the day of the Lord. We prepare for the day of the Lord by giving up evil and living a holy life. This is clear when Jesus says to us thus: "But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." The kingdom of God begins to manifest in our lives when we start to give up evil and live holy life. Giving up evil without living holy life is dangerous for us. Hence, Jesus says, “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” when we give up evil, we need to engage in good works: praying, preaching and living the gospel.
Jesus also reminds us today that He is mightier than the devil. He puts it thus: "For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. ... When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; but when one stronger than he assails him and over comes him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted, and divides his spoil." Let us put our trust in Him.  By faith in Him we share in His power and victory over devil. This means it is by having faith in Jesus that we are made ready for the last day.

God our Father, fill us with the spirit of prayer and reparation and the grace to overcome evil. Amen

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke