A new beginning

Monday, November 8 2010

Beginnings: Fr. Doug and I have agreed to start a daily journal meant to be aware of God’s presence in our daily lives and to publish that journal on our blogs.

A note before I begin: As a vocational Deacon, my ordinations vows require me to “interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world.” That is a pretty broad statement, but it provides a lens through which I view the ministry that God has called me to serve in. Consequently, I read Holy Scripture through that lens and I look for comparisons in our world today so that I may bring an interpretation of current events to the Church for awareness and possible action.

The daily office for today begins a series of Old Testament reading from the Book of Joel. We are not sure when Joel lived, or the date of authorship.

I have never read Joel seriously before, but this book records a description of a locus invasion, a call to repentance (for Judah), and salvation in the coming “Day of the Lord.” Today’s reading is the beginning of the book and a records a terrible invasion of locusts and the impacts on the farmers. Joel also states that It’s a call to wakeup to the destruction happening around them. As I read this, I immediate thought about the continuing destruction of our economy, the raising number of people who are losing their homes to foreclosures, the rising number of those who are being laid off from work and the increasing number on unemployment. How are we as Christian people supposed to respond to our brothers and sisters in these times of increasing need? How can we help others in our neighborhoods and communities? I would suggest that we have an opportunity, especially as we approach the holiday season, to provide assistance to those in need through Metropolitan Ministries, ECHO, Angel Tree, Meals on Wheels and other such programs. Joel has issued a “wake up” call to those around him. I am reminded that same “wake up” echoes down through the ages to us as well.

Blessings, Gary