"As we celebrate the memory of Thy Prophet Joel, O Lord, through him we beseech Thee to save our souls."

Joel was one of the earliest of the Minor Prophets and prophesied in Judah about 830 B.C. His primary message was of repentance and coming back to the Lord. He was also inspired by God to look nearly nine hundred years into the future and witness the birth of the Church (Joel 2:28-32). This magnificent day that he foretold was the first Pentecost, following the Resurrection of Jesus. Joel prophesied—and St. Peter quotes the Prophet in Acts 2:17-21—that God would “pour out of (His) Spirit on all flesh" and “that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Getting Practical: Talk to your child about the Prophets, how they were men driven by conscience to tell the truth in order to help God’s people—and how sometimes they were attacked for being truthful. Let this lead to a discussion about how all of us will sometimes be unpopular if we tell the truth; point out that although this isn’t easy, it brings us closer to God and connects us to the sacrifice of Jesus. We’ll always feel better about our lives if we do the right thing!