1st Sunday of Lent Genesis 9:8-15 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1: 12-15
Today is the 1st Sunday of Lent, and today’s gospel brings us back to the time when the spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, where he remained for 40 days in prayer and fasting.
During lent, we go into the desert, we go to the basics, to breathe new life into our Christian identity; it is like a fresh start. A fresh start is what the story of Noah is all about.
After the flood, Noah saw the rainbow a sign of a new beginning and a sign to the entire human race of God’s promise to bring salvation to those who repent and are faithful to Him.
It reminded the people of Israel that whatever the weather or storms they experienced, God is faithful. The ark and the rainbow are two signs of God’s salvation.
We are still afraid of floodwaters, there are other raging and rising waters around that can destroy lives and families. These are the waters of greed, lust drugs, alcohol, gambling, and materialism.
Like Noah, we have been given an ark, the Church. Our rainbow sign is the Eucharist. It is God’s sign to remain faithful to us in any storm, to help us stay on course above the difficult waters.
The question is “Are we still in the Ark?”
Lent is a time to revive our Christian life and see whether we are still in the ark or trying to swim the waters all by ourselves.
It invites us to ponder on what is it that really matters most in life. Lenten season is time to flee to the desert of our inner lives, away from sinfulness. It is time to reflect on our faith in God and examine our values.
In the emptiness of the desert, God’s power and goodness becomes overwhelming. Lent opens the door for us to enter the ark once again. Here, from within the ark, we can behold the rainbow sign of the Eucharist telling us that we are never alone.
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