October 8, 2021 Friday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time-B

Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2

Psalm 9

Luke 11:15-26

The house of your God is deprived of offering and libation.  Joel 1:13

“Whoever is not with me is against me…” Lk. 11:23

Lord, the prophet Joel recognized how far the people of his time had strayed from your commandments. They were neglecting the proper worship of you and sacrifices to you. A plague of locusts were devastating the crops of the land. You read their thoughts and knew how far they had drifted away from being your people and honoring you as their God.  So many people today have strayed from your commandments too. This is our Respect Life month, a time to pray for and to remember that all life is a gift from you. From conception to natural death you hold our lives in the palm of your hand. We have no right to interfere with your gift of life. The Culture of Death is worse than the plague of locusts in Joel’s day. It plunders and devastates our very nature as your children. Lord, I lift up to you most dearly the mothers and fathers who are tempted to commit abortion. Give them your peace in their hearts that you will find a way to care for the child they don’t want. You will send many people to assist them as they make the choice for life.  Amen.