Thoughts for the Day

The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah...

I will utterly sweep away everything
from the face of the earth, says the Lord.
I will sweep away humans and animals;
I will sweep away the birds of the air
and the fish of the sea.
I will make the wicked stumble.
I will cut off humanity
from the face of the earth, says the Lord.
I will stretch out my hand against Judah,
and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal
and the name of the idolatrous priests;
 those who bow down on the roofs
to the host of the heavens;
those who bow down and swear to the Lord,
but also swear by Milcom;
those who have turned back from following the Lord,
who have not sought the Lord or inquired of him....

The great day of the Lord is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter,
the warrior cries aloud there.
That day will be a day of wrath,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,....

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
who do his commands;
seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you may be hidden
on the day of the Lord’s wrath.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The prophet Zephaniah, who lived during the reign of King Josiah of Judah in the 7th century BCE was a descendant of King Hezekiah, making him a member of the royal family. God called him to warn the people of Judah about the impending judgment if they did not repent and turn back to the Lord. Zephaniah delivers a message of doom and gloom foretelling the coming “Day of the Lord”. This theme of judgment and the “Day of the Lord” is echoed by other prophets. Joel, warns the people to “Prepare to meet your God”, while Amos says "The day is not light, but darkness." The theme continues long after the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile to Babylon, recurring in New Testament times with the call of John the Baptist to the people to repent and then later still the call by the writer's of the Epistles to prepare for the Second Coming of Christ.

Zephaniah’s message serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin and the importance of turning back to God before it’s too late. It is Yahweh who comes to execute judgement on His people and on the world. This day signifies a period of judgment, purification, and ultimately, restoration. It serves as a reminder of the importance of repentance and faithfulness to God’s commandments.

In Advent we need to continue our spiritual 'spring-cleaning'. There's no point in fasting when the world wants us to feast even though its not quite Christmas, but perhaps we can spend a few minutes in contemplation before Christmas. Shut yourself away from others for a little while and try this piece of Ignatian Spirituality, as a way of preparing for Christmas - it's a very practical way of contemplating scripture - and let me know if you tried it: Advent Examen.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You taught Your disciples that You would return
a second time,
to gather Your people
and to judge the nations.
Even as we await Your coming
may we remember that in the meantime
we are called to be spiritually ready
to answer to You as our Lord and Saviour,
for our transgressions.
Amen.