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Saturday – Twenty-seventh Week – OT1
Readings: Jl 4:12-21; Lk 11:27-28.
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.
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.”
I. THEME: Know how to prepare for the Last Judgment Day
Most people believe “one who did evil will be punished.” Christians also believed that, we believe Christ will come the second time and judge all people; after that, the just ones will live a happy and eternal with God, the evildoers will be destroyed forever. To prepare for the Last Day, the name “Christian” is not enough to save man; but the proper way to prepare is to listen and do God’s will.
Today readings taught people what they have to do to prepare for that Day. In the first reading, the prophet Joel adviced the Israelites to always remember this Day, to live in a way that
they can avoid God’s angry. Only those who were saved from this day, will live a happy and eternal life with God. In the Gospel, when a woman among Jesus’ audience praise the mother who gave birth to Jesus, he gave a hope to all: those who listen and practice God’s word are more blessed.
II. ANALYSIS:
1/ Reading I: Crowd upon crowd in the valley of decision
1.1/ God will judge people at the Jehoshaphat’s valley: The prophet Joel prophesized what will happen in the Day of the Last Judgment: “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.”
The Valley of Jehoshaphat is the Kedron Valley now, lies between Jerusalem city and Mt. Olive. The name of the place is Jehosaphat, it means “God will judge” in Hebrew. The Jewish tradition, based on the prophet Joel, believes the Last Judgment Day will happen here. This is the reason why the Jews, the Muslims, and the Christians found all possible ways to be buried in this place. Many deads were buried in this valley. People who wanted to be buried here
might think they will not have to wait and to witness the scene of the Last Judgment Day.
1.2/ What will happen in the Last Judgment Day: This Day is a scary day because all must face God’s angry. Beside that, the prophet Joel also describes the horrible events which will happen in the cosmos: “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.” After God’s judgment, two things can be happened:
(1) The just will live in peace and happiness: “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.”
The Jewish tradition believes only them are worthy to inherit God’s salvation. When the Messiah comes, he will destroy all their enemies and govern them in this world. The concept of heaven or the life to come is only clear with Christ’s revelation, even though there were already written in the Book of Daniel and 2 Maccabbes. Shittim is on the NE of the Dead Sea, in the Moab valley, where the Israelites stopped before they crossed Jordan river to conquer Jericho on their way to the Promise Land.
(2) Those who did evil will be punished: While the Israelites will be happy, all surrounding nations will be punished: “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 for ever, and Jerusalem for all generations. I will avenge their blood, and not leave it unpunished. The Lord dwells in Zion.”
2/ Gospel: Blessed are those who listen and keep God’s word.
2.1/ Blessings come from mother: 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.” The Vietnamese also thought as this woman when they said, “Blessings come from mother.” A child becomes wise, pious, talenting, is the result of his mother’s effort. Not only this woman in this periscope recognized the blessings of Jesus’ mother, the archangels Gabriel also greeted the Virgin Mary at the Annuntiation, “”Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Lk 1:28). And Elisabeth, Mary’s cousin also declared at the Visitation, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Lk 1:42).
2.2/ Jesus’ announcement: “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” When hearing this saying at first, one can think it is an insult to Mary; because Jesus treated his mother as one of his audience. Mary’s life is truly a life which Simeon had prophesized, “and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed” (Lc 2:35). Mary also suffered with her son in all events of Jesus’ life. She never questioned God’s plan, but always listened and kept everything in her heart (Lk 2:52).
Like when Jesus declared: “My mother, brothers and sisters are those who listened and practiced God’s word;” Jesus did not insult his mother, because Mary is not only Jesus’ mother in relationship, she also Jesus’ mother in Jesus’ standard: to listen and to practice God’s word in all her life.
All have opportunity to become Jesus’ mothers, brothers and sisters. This is our good new because Jesus gave us an equal way to become members of his family. To deny to listen and to practice God’s word is the only way not to become Jesus’ mothers, brothers and sisters.
III. APPLICATION IN LIFE:
– When doing anything in life, we must keep in mind the picture of the Last Judgment Day. This will help us to do good and to avoid evil.
– The Second Coming of Christ will certainly come. In this Day, he will judge all people and nations. Two results will happen, are the just will live happy with God for ever while the evil will be destroyed once for all.
– To prepare for that Day, we need to spend time to study what God wants us to do, and to do everything according to His will.