Now the prince of this world is to be overthrown,
says the Lord.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I shall draw all men to myself. JN 12:31-32
JOEL 1:13-15,2:1-2
My Soul's Beloved,
Over and over, we see in salvation history how God has purged the nations because of the horrific sins of man. We cry out to God for deliverance when we are in the throes of our suffering. We make vows and promise to forsake our evil ways and obey You. Once we are forgiven and You pour out Your blessings on us generously and again and again, we continue to grow lax. The present evil is worse than all our past iniquities, for we now spread death, mayhem, and destruction across the borders of nations. No country is safe from the miasma of absolute and complete degeneracy of those in high places who use their power, wealth, fame, and influence to spread the realm of the Father of Lies.
Evil has spared none - it is seen in every institution in the world and even among those in the Church holding high office, as well as those in the more humble rank and file who are in the clutches of sin.
Now is the hour of repentance. Now is the day of deliverance, Lord. Your saving blood covers the whole world and has the power to destroy all the realms of darkness that threaten to cover the face of the earth. We are children of hope grafted into Your Body, O Lord, and members of the Church that You built on the Rock. She is invincible, and as the faithful remnant continue to raise their hands, their voices, and their faces to You unwearingly, we are confident that the day of victory will come upon us like the dawn. We wait in hope, and while we wait, we pray.
Priests, put on sackcloth and lament.
Ministers of the altar, wail.
Come, pass the night in sackcloth,
you ministers of my God.
For the house of our God has been deprived
of oblation and libation.
Order a fast,
proclaim a solemn assembly;
elders, call together
all the inhabitants of the country
to the house of the Lord your God.
Cry out to the Lord,
‘Oh, what a day!
For the day of the Lord is near,
it comes as a devastation from Shaddai.’
Sound the trumpet in Zion,
give the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the country tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming,
yes, it is near.
Day of darkness and gloom,
day of cloud and blackness.
Like the dawn there spreads across the mountains
a vast and mighty host,
such as has never been before,
such as will never be again
to the remotest ages.
PSALM 9A(9):2-3,6,16,8-9
The Lord will judge the world with justice.
Ministers of the altar, wail.
Come, pass the night in sackcloth,
you ministers of my God.
For the house of our God has been deprived
of oblation and libation.
Order a fast,
proclaim a solemn assembly;
elders, call together
all the inhabitants of the country
to the house of the Lord your God.
Cry out to the Lord,
‘Oh, what a day!
For the day of the Lord is near,
it comes as a devastation from Shaddai.’
Sound the trumpet in Zion,
give the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the country tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming,
yes, it is near.
Day of darkness and gloom,
day of cloud and blackness.
Like the dawn there spreads across the mountains
a vast and mighty host,
such as has never been before,
such as will never be again
to the remotest ages.
PSALM 9A(9):2-3,6,16,8-9
The Lord will judge the world with justice.
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will recount all your wonders.
I will rejoice in you and be glad,
and sing psalms to your name, O Most High.
You have checked the nations, destroyed the wicked;
you have wiped out their name for ever and ever.
The nations have fallen in the pit which they made,
their feet caught in the snare they laid.
But the Lord sits enthroned for ever.
He has set up his throne for judgement;
he will judge the world with justice,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
The Lord will judge the world with justice.
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