Joel 2:12-19
Thus saith the Lord: Be converted to Me with all your heart, in fasting and in weeping and in mourning. And rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil. Who knoweth but He will return and forgive and leave a blessing behind Him, sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather together the people, sanctify the Church, assemble the ancients, gather together the little ones and them that suck at the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth from his bed and the bride out of her bride chamber. Between the porch and the altar the priests, the Lord’s ministers, shall weep and shall say: Spare, O Lord, spare Thy people; and give not Thine inheritance to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Why should they say among the nations: Where is their God? The Lord hath been zealous for His land, and hath spared His people. And the Lord answered and said to His people: behold I will send you corn and wine and oil, and you shall be filled with them: and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations: saith the Lord almighty.
Haydock
Verse 12. Mourning. For moving the heart to repentance these external works are requisite, at least in will: if they be wilfully omitted, it is a sure sign that the heart is not moved. S. Jer. W.
Verse 13. Garments, as was customary in great distress. God will not be satisfied with mere external proofs of repentance. C. — Evil. He will forego his threats if we do penance. S. Jer. — He punishes unwillingly. Is. xxviii. 21.
Verse 14. Who knoweth. Confidence in God and repentance must accompany prayer. — Blessing; plentiful crops, so that the usual sacrifices may be performed again. C. i. 9.
Verse 15. Trumpet. Thus were festivals announced. Num. x. 7.
Verse 16. Sanctify. Let all make themselves ready to appear. — Ones. Their cries would make an impression on men, and prevail on God to shew mercy. Judith iv. 9.
Verse 17. Altar of holocausts. They turned towards the holy place, lying prostrate. 1 Esd. x. 1. and 2 Mac. x. 26. C. — Hither the victim of expiation was brought, and the high priest confessed. Maimon. — Over them, as they might easily have done during the famine.
Verse 18. Zealous. Indignation is excited when a person perceives any thing contemned which he loves. So God resented the injuries done maliciously by the Gentiles towards his people; though he often punished them for their correction or greater merit. W. — He will resent the blasphemies uttered by infidels against his holy name, and will restore fertility to the land. C.
Verse 19. Nations. This did not take place till after the seventy years captivity, nor then fully. It is verified in true believers, and after death in the glory of the saints. W.