“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you” (Gn 9:8). As we begin again the Season of Lent, we hear today God’s reassuring words to Noah and his family after the devastating flood. We are all familiar with this story in the Bible which provides a moral explanation for the end of the last Ice Age. As this story ends, we hear God assuring humanity that he will care for us; all we need to do is turn away from our sinful ways and return to following his commands. No longer will water be a sign of destruction but rather, through Baptism, it will become a sign of new life!
Lent is a time of conversion for all of us. It is a time to recognize our need to turn to God, who gave us life, and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to give us new life. We admit our sinfulness, that is, the various ways in which we have either disregarded the importance of God in our lives or failed to be the sign of his presence in the world, just as the people in Noah’s time did. As we recall the story of their destruction, we remember that we have all been tempted, and like Noah’s neighbors, we have failed in our attempts to build a right relationship with God. And so, we come to rely on Jesus Christ, who can lead us back to God, our Father in heaven. The Lenten Season’s Sunday readings help us to focus on these two aspects of our faith journey. First, we are called away from sin and temptation to a life of Gospel conversion. And, we hear of Christ’s call to conversion and about his healing power, which makes us whole and prepares us to stand before God. And so, we can turn to God and beg his mercy on us in our sinfulness.
Today’s brief Gospel account of Jesus’ temptation in the desert before he begins his public ministry offers an important lesson for all of us as well. As God sent the devil to test Jesus, his only Son, he sends the devil into our lives to test our fidelity to God and our resolve to follow his way. Jesus turned to God’s saving Word to counter the devil; we need to do the same. If you haven’t done so yet, I encourage you to take home a copy of the booklet, The Little Black Book that you will find at the church entrances. This year, The Little Black Book is offering daily reflections on Our Lord’s passion according to the Gospel of Luke. Each gospel portrays the life and ministry of Jesus from a different perspective, due to the time, location and audience of its writing. These reflections on the Gospel of Luke provide us with a comprehensive review of Luke’s portrayal of Jesus and encourage us to walk with Jesus as we encounter this portrait. As we walk with Jesus will find ourselves turning back to God, which is a very important goal each Lent. So, be sure to take a copy of the Little Black Book home with you if you haven’t yet done so, and follow its advice to “take six minutes of quiet time every day” throughout Lent to strengthen you in your faith as well as your understanding of God’s Word. This will help you observe the Lenten season ever more profitably as well as help you remain close to God the next time the devil tests you!
During the Lenten Season, we are all called to make sacrifices and perform acts of charity. I encourage you to participate in Operation Rice Bowl, which gives families opportunities to sacrifice and, at the same time, share their abundance with the poor. Take advantage of the calendar that accompanies the Rice Bowl and make sure to click on the QR code and watch the videos that show how your support for Operation Rice Bowl helps poor families in Uganda, El Salvador and Indonesia. They will help you identify with the poor from around the world and in our own country. Spend a moment reflecting on the sad reality that so many people – both in our own neighborhood and around the world – do not have enough to eat and pray for them. At the end of the Lenten Season, place that money in the collection basket – please be sure to indicate clearly that it is your Rice Bowl contribution. I will forward the money to Catholic Relief Services, which uses the funds to support poor families both in our area and worldwide.
But even the greatest acts of mercy and compassion would not establish a relationship with God if we did not praise God in worship and ask God’s assistance in meeting the challenges of life. Throughout the Gospel, we see Jesus set an example. Today’s Gospel account relates Jesus going into the desert. His purpose for doing this was so that he could pray in preparation for his public ministry. Jesus is frequently portrayed in prayer, whether it is in the temple in Jerusalem, his hometown synagogue, out in the desert or up on the mountain. I strongly urge you to set time aside every day for prayer and encourage you to consider attending Mass more often during the Lenten season. Our daily 6:30 and 8:00am Masses are already well-attended, but there is plenty of room so, if you aren’t already beginning your day with the Eucharist, come join your neighbors who do!
I also encourage you to come on the Friday evenings throughout Lent, when I will lead the congregation in the Stations of the Cross beginning at 7:00pm. The Stations of the Cross offer us powerful meditations on our sinfulness and God’s saving mercy, demonstrated so clearly in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for us!
This is, indeed, a blessed season when we become aware of our sinfulness and God’s mercy. Let us pray and work together to overcome the devil and share God’s love as we prepare to celebrate Easter!
TURN AWAY FROM SIN
AND BE FAITHFUL
TO THE GOSPEL