Feb 21, 2021 - 1st Sunday in Lent

(Gen 9:8-15; Pt 3:18–22; Mk 1:12–15)

As we enter the season of Lent, we have these passages to ponder. First is the happy ending to Noah’s story, where God has saved Noah, his family, and the creatures of earth for a new beginning. Saint Peter reflects that this new beginning is also available to us through baptism. The passage from Mark picks up right after Jesus’s baptism; for Him, the new beginning of Baptism isn’t the “happily ever after” part. The Spirit “drives” Him into the desert to prepare Him for what lies ahead. It isn’t easy. Alone in the desert, He has only the wild beasts for company - the beasts that must have been descended from those saved by Noah from the flood. Contending with Satan, He must have felt as forlorn as Noah looking out over the vast waters and knowing that the world he once knew has been washed away. Only after Jesus has mastered Satan’s temptations, are the angels sent to minister to Him. Unlike Noah, Jesus returns to a world that has not changed in His absence. He must set out to create that change, one heart at a time. Lent, too, is a time for us to strip away the distractions of the world and go into a desert of contemplation. It is a time to make sure our hearts are ready to renew our baptismal promises at Easter – and, by our lives, help to bring that renewal of heart to others.

• How do you use the time of Lent to recognize and root out temptations in your life?
• It’s been said that 40 days is the time needed to uproot an old habit, or establish a new one. We seldom have the luxury of 40 uninterrupted days to focus on anything, though. What tips or tricks have you used to set aside time to really work on your Lenten goals?
• Jesus seems refreshed and renewed after His sojourn in the desert. What have you found that ‘re-charges’ your spirit?