Who will be saved on the day of the Lord?

 

Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Saturday of 27th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, October 14th, 2023
Texts: Joel 3:12-21; Psalm 97:1-2,5-6,11-12; Luke 11:27-28 

The question, today, is this: “Who will be saved on the day of the Lord?” Prophet Joel reminds us, today, that the day of the will not be an easy day. He says, “For the day of the  Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.” 

What determines the day is the magnitude of our sins. He puts it thus: “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the wine press is full. The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision!” Since our sins prompts the day, the Lord is coming to deal with sins. He is coming to purify us. This is clear in the words: “And Jerusalem shall be holy and strangers shall never again pass through it.” 

Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it

Salvation on the day of the Lord will not be by mere identification with God. It will not be by bearing the name Christian but by hearing and keeping God’s word. That is the message Jesus communicates in today’s gospel reading. We read, “As  Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’"

Those who hear and keep God’s word make the people of Israel. For them the Lord shall be refuge, the mountains shall drip sweet wine; and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the stream beds of their dwelling shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the  Lord and water the valley of their dwelling.  

The righteous shall see justice and be consoled

On the day of the Lord we shall know that evil follows those who do evil. No matter how long the evil will come home with them. In the prophetic words of Joel: “But Judah shall be inhabited for ever, and Jerusalem to all generations. I will avenge their blood, and I will not clear the guilty, for the  Lord dwells in Sion." The righteous shall see justice and be consoled.  

Prayer 

God our Father, we thank You for being our refuge, may we always hear Your word and keep it. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke