1st Sunday of Lent (Cycle B, Year I)
Community Word: Disciples of Christ speak with authority by the power of God’s word.
Theme: As disciples of Christ we speak with God’s authority when we repent, believe in the gospel and resist temptation.
Promise: “He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way.” (Ps 25:9)
Reflection:
The first Sunday of Lent marks the beginning of our 40-day journey through this season. Mother Church has always given us useful guide for taking this journey. It is designed to give us a time to stand back from our day-to-day routines, so we can reflect and review how our lives and those of others around us are shaping up.
It is meant to achieve in us a transformation of heart, a “new heart” for the new covenant of love promised by the Lord in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This first week speaks of God’s covenant that stretches back to the very beginning of creation and finds fulfillment in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In the first reading, we are told of the tragedy of the primeval catastrophe that wrought great evil in the world at the time of Noah. God “regretted that he had made man on earth and destroyed everywhere all creatures” (Gen.6: 6 & 17b) except for Noah who “found favor with the Lord” (Gen.6:8). He is a humble man whose obedience to God knows no bounds. For this, he found favor with the Lord who established a covenant with him and his descendants and every living creature with him in the ark. All creation perished at the deluge except Noah and those with him at the ark. As a remembrance of his covenant, God set the rainbow in the clouds as a sign that never again will He annihilate all creatures through a deluge.
In the second reading, St. Peter speaks of the sinful people of Noah’s time as the example of those who sin, without regard for the will of God. Jesus, honoring the covenant, died for everyone, not just for those who have been faithful. Here also, St. Peter tells us how the water of the great floods of Noah’s time prefigured the sacrament of baptism and how it too, washes away the old world for us, our life of sin. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we begin a new life, striving for “…a clear conscience,” (1 Peter 3:21). Thus the cross becomes for us the sign of God’s covenantal love for us validated by the blood Jesus shed for us on Calvary. We are faithful to God’s covenant when we live the Gospel, when the very life of Jesus comes alive in us, not only in words, but more so in deeds, as we actively strive to live the Gospel values of forgiveness, humility, kindness and love for all.
God created human beings. He created them free, and able to either to respond to him in love, or refuse him. God wants man to respond to him in love and obedience. He gave mankind dominion over the earth answerable only to him. Invited to be God’s steward, man chose instead to be supreme unto himself, causing his downfall, undoing and tragedy. Humanity lost the peace and harmony of Paradise. Because of man’s rebellion against the Creator, the rest of creation rebelled against man. The earth brought forth thorns and thistles; animals turned wild and threatening, and human beings themselves, turned against one another.
It is against this background that we must reflect upon the temptation of Jesus in the account of Mark: “The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan.” (Mk.1:12-13a) For Mark, the desert symbolizes chaos, an ungodly place inhabited by menacing presences. Demons and wild beasts roam freely about, and travelers enter at their own risk. No place for the weak of heart or for those with limited spiritual resources, the desert is the testing ground separating the timid from the bold. Here Jesus does battle with demonic forces. Strengthened by his baptism, he comes to know himself and understands his mission. In those challenging forty days Jesus experiences his inner strength and finds clear direction for his ministry. Out of that empty and hostile sojourn, Jesus comes forth with the power of the Spirit.
St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that Christ willed to be tempted for four reasons: First, that he might strengthen us against temptation. Secondly, that we might be warned so that none, however holy, may think himself safe or free from temptation. Thirdly, to give us an example, so that he might teach us how to overcome the temptations of the devil. And fourthly, Christ wished to be tempted in order to fill us with confidence in his mercy. Hence it is written “We have not a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities, but one tempted in all things as we are, without sin” (Heb.4:15). Jesus lived by example. Being human, he shared the life of the people of his time and like the prophets of old, he taught by what he said and did. He has shown us the way. In this we have the promise of victory over sin for, “He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way.” (Ps 25:9)
“This is the time of fulfillment” (Mark 1:15). We are now ready to manifest God in our lives. Not only have we been baptized in water, but also in the Body of Christ, we have been given other sacraments to strengthen us to follow God’s will in our lives. We are to follow Jesus by taking up our cross daily to continually overcome the sinful inclinations of the flesh, thus making us free to love God and our neighbors.
Prayer:
Jesus, you have a covenant with us. We rely on your power to overcome evil in our lives. We know too that we need to cooperate with your grace in us. Grant us the grace to follow your way of life and love in matters both large and small. We believe that if we listen to you and live the Gospel, it will go well with us. May the Holy Spirit guide us to know and do God’s will in every way as we begin our journey this season of Lent. Thank you for showing us the way to your saving love. Amen
Reflection Questions:
1. The season of lent is the time to unmask the evil within us. To what extent has your pride caused you to harm others and yourself?
2. Do I try to overcome my temptations through my own strength, or do I call upon the help of the Lord? Am I experiencing victories in my life that are not Christ like?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
February 22, 2015 (Sun) Gn 9:8-15/Ps 25:4-5,6-7,8-9/1Pt 3:18-22/Mk 1:12-15
February 23, 2015 (Mon) Lv 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19:8-10, 15; Mt 25:31-46
February 24, 2015 (Tue) Is 55:10-11; Ps 34:4-7, 16-19; Mt 6:7-15
February 25, 2015 (Wed) Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Lk 11:29-32
February 26, 2015 (Thur) Est 4:12, 14-16, 23-25; Ps 138:1-3, 7-8; Mt 7:7-12
February 27, 2015 (Fri) Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130:1-4, 7-8; Mt 5:20-26
February 28, 2015 (Sat) Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8; Mt 5:43-48
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
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