Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2 / Luke 11:15-26
To have freedom of worship and to have a place to worship is something that must not be taken for granted.
But when there is no religious persecution and religious freedom is respected by the authorities, we can become rather complacent.
We may think that churches will always be open and that we can freely walk in and out.
We may also expect that there will be Masses at the scheduled timings.
But it was in such complacency that the prophet Joel called out:
Priests, put on sackcloth and lament. Ministers of the altar, wail.
And the reason was that the house of God has been deprived of oblation and libation.
So it was not that there was persecution or destruction, but it was the complacency, the spiritual decay of the faith of the people, that resulted in the lack of worship and sacrifice.
When people do not come to the House of God to offer worship and sacrifice, they are not only taking God for granted.
They also forget that in a time of tribulation and distress, and the prophet Joel calls it the “day of the Lord”, the people will also forget how to turn to God.
Let us not take worship and religious freedom for granted. Let us not take open churches for granted.
Rather, let us offer a worthy sacrifice pleasing to Lord as we pray for a steadfast faith and for the conversion of sinners.