First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 23
Lectionary: 23
God said to Noah
and to his sons with him:
“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you:
all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals
that were with you and came out of the ark.
I will establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood;
there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.”
God added:
“This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the earth,
and the bow appears in the clouds,
I will recall the covenant I have made
between me and you and all living beings,
so that the waters shall never again become a flood
to destroy all mortal beings.”
“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you:
all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals
that were with you and came out of the ark.
I will establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood;
there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.”
God added:
“This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the earth,
and the bow appears in the clouds,
I will recall the covenant I have made
between me and you and all living beings,
so that the waters shall never again become a flood
to destroy all mortal beings.”
Responsorial PsalmPS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9.
R. (cf. 10) Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those
who keep your covenant.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Good and upright is the LORD,
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and he teaches the humble his way.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Good and upright is the LORD,
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and he teaches the humble his way.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Reading 21 PT 3:18-22
Beloved:
Christ suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,
who had once been disobedient
while God patiently waited in the days of Noah
during the building of the ark,
in which a few persons, eight in all,
were saved through water.
This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.
It is not a removal of dirt from the body
but an appeal to God for a clear conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who has gone into heaven
and is at the right hand of God,
with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
Christ suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,
who had once been disobedient
while God patiently waited in the days of Noah
during the building of the ark,
in which a few persons, eight in all,
were saved through water.
This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.
It is not a removal of dirt from the body
but an appeal to God for a clear conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who has gone into heaven
and is at the right hand of God,
with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
Verse Before The GospelMT 4:4B
One does not live
on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
GospelMK 1:12-15
The Spirit drove
Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.
After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.
After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Scripture Study – Feb.
22, 2015
February 22, 2015
First Sunday of Lent
This weekend the Church celebrates the First
Sunday of Lent. The liturgical season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and runs
almost until Easter. Actually, Lent ends on Holy Thursday evening and is
followed by the Triduum (a three day celebration of the passion, death and
resurrection of Jesus). Lent has a two fold character. It serves as a time for
the immediate preparation of the catechumens and candidates who will enter the
church at the Easter Vigil when they celebrate the sacraments of initiation
(Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist). It also serves as a time for the
rest of us to prepare ourselves, by penance, to celebrate the Paschal Mystery
and the renewal of our own baptismal promises at Easter. This double character
actually speaks of two ways to describe the same journey. All of us, whether
new catechumen or long time believer, are constantly being called to more
complete conversion. God always calls us to approach Him more closely. During
this time, the church invites us to spend time with Jesus, John the Baptist and
the ancient prophets of Israel in the wilderness, listening to this call from
God and reflecting on the mystery of redemption through the cross and
resurrection of Jesus and on what it means for us today. During Year B of the
Liturgical Cycle, the general theme of the Lenten readings is “Spirit,” in that
Jesus leads us from the slavery of the flesh to freedom under the Spirit.
First Reading: Genesis 9: 8-15
8 God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your
descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was
with you: all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals that were with
you and came out of the ark. 11 I will establish
my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the
earth.” 12 God added: “This is the sign that I am
giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every
living creature with you: 13 I set my bow in
the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in
the clouds, 15 I will recall the covenant I have made
between me and you and all living beings, so that the waters shall never again
become a flood to destroy all mortal beings.
NOTES on First Reading:
* 9:8-15 Covenants in the ancient world
involved an exchange of promises between two parties which was ratified by
animal sacrifice and the invocation of a god to act as a witness. Here God
makes a unilateral covenant with Noah. God takes on obligations to care for the
earth but lays no requirements on Noah or his descendants to do anything.
Israel saw in the rainbow, a link between the present and God’s ancient promise
of unconditional love and care. The early church saw it as a precursor of the
baptismal covenant that we have in Christ.
* 9:9-10 Here God makes essentially the same
promise that He made to Noah in 6:18 but now it is extended to all living
creatures. Noah’s free acceptance of the covenant is presupposed.
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22
18 For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for
the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the
flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit. 19 In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, 20 who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited
in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons,
eight in all, were saved through water. 21 This prefigured
baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an
appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with
angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 3:18 This verse begins the section which
ends in 4:6 and forms the climax of the letter. It stresses that Christ is the
basis for the confidence of Christians. This verse does not refer to the
contrast between body and soul but rather to the two spheres of Christ’s
existence: earthly human life and as life as Risen Lord.
* 3:19 In the New Testament, “spirits” used
without a qualifying phrase means “supernatural beings” not “human souls.” In 1
Enoch, a nonbiblical book which was very popular during the early Christian
years, the story is told of Enoch who went on a mission from God to announce to
the rebellious angels that they were condemned to prison. In a later
development of the story, Enoch passes through the heavens and meets the
rebellious angels. In this tradition, the rebellion of the angels is expressly
linked with the flood. In 1 Peter 3:19, this story is applied to the Risen
Christ.
* 3:20 Later Jewish tradition fashioned an
elaborate story out of the obscure statements in Gen 6:1-2. The “sons of God”
were the angels who sinned with human women and were responsible for the moral
corruption of humanity that led to the flood. This is actually another version
of the original sin story (Gen 3:1-24) where evil enters the world through the
rebellious angels rather than through a man misled by a serpent. Noah preached
to the sinful men of his time with hope that they might repent. The number
eight (persons) is a symbol of the resurrection (eighth day).
* 3:21 The waters of baptism are seen as a
counterpart to the waters of the flood. The language used here actually fits
better in terms of circumcision rather than baptism. Since the church of Rome
was probably founded from Jerusalem this language is likely to be the result of
a catechesis on baptism that was based on a comparison of circumcision and
baptism.
Appeal to God could also be translated
“pledge,” that is, a promise on the part of Christians to live with a good
conscience before God, or a pledge from God of forgiveness and therefore a good
conscience for us.
* 3:22 In Jesus, all believers now share in
this victory over all hostile spirits (Phil 2:10; 1 Cor 15:24,27; Eph 1:21;
6:2; Col 2:10, 15).
Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 12–15
12 At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, 13 and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by
Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.
14 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee
proclaiming the gospel of God: 15 “This is the
time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the
gospel.”
NOTES on Gospel:
* 1:12 Mark says Jesus was “driven” into the
desert by the Spirit while Matthew and Luke say he was “led”. See Mat 4:1 and
Luke 4:1.
* 1:13 Forty is usually used as a symbolic
number in the Bible meaning as many or as much as is necessary. Here it was for
as long as was needed to accomplish the purposes of God. Mark gives no details
of the encounter between Jesus and the Devil. This first confrontation serves
to help portray the whole of Jesus’ ministry as a fight against evil. Wild
beasts carry two ideas into the story: The wilderness was considered the abode
of wild animals and of demons. The presence of the animals also echoes the harmony
of the creation story which the obedience of Jesus will restore after the
disobedience of Adam lost it. The angels who ministered are a reflection of the
angel of the first Exodus (Exodus 14:19 and 23:20).
* 1:14 In Jesus, the Kingdom of God is near and
that is the Good News. The Rule of God is described in Ps 97:1-12; 98:1-9;
99:1- 9
* 1:15 Fulfilled expresses the continuity
between the stages of God’s plan. The Kingdom of God is present when the will
of God is done. In Jesus, the will of God is lived out perfectly and so in Him
the Kingdom was always present perfectly.
Meditation:
Repent and believe in the Gospel
What is the significance of Jesus spending 40 days and nights of
solitude, prayer and fasting in the Judean wilderness? In the Old Testament 40
days was often seen as a significant period of testing and preparation for
entering into a covenant relationship with God. In the days of Noah, God judged
the earth and destroyed its inhabitants in a great flood because of their
idolatry and total rejection of God. Noah and his family were spared because
they obeyed God and took refuge in the ark for 40 days. When the flood subsided
God made a covenant with Noah and promised that he would not destroy the human
race again. Jesus came to fulfill that promise.
Forty days of retreat to seek the face of God
When God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt he brought them into the wilderness of Sinai. Moses went to the mountain of the Lord at Sinai and remained there in prayer and fasting for 40 days (Exodus 24:18). At the conclusion of this 40 day encounter God made a covenant with Moses and the people. After the prophet Elijah had confronted the sin of idolatry (the worship of false gods) in the land of Israel and destroyed the 400 priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40), he fled into the wilderness and journeyed for 40 days to the mountain of God at Sinai (1 Kings 19:8). There God spoke with Elijah and commissioned him to pass on the work of restoring the worship of the one true God in the land. After Jesus was anointed by the Spirit in the waters of the Jordan River, he journeyed to the wilderness of Judea for 40 days to prepare himself for the mission which the Father sent him to accomplish - to offer up his life as the perfect atoning sacrifice for our sins. Through the shedding of his blood on the cross he won for us a new and everlasting covenant which fulfilled and surpassed all the previous covenants which God had made with his people.
Forty days of retreat to seek the face of God
When God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt he brought them into the wilderness of Sinai. Moses went to the mountain of the Lord at Sinai and remained there in prayer and fasting for 40 days (Exodus 24:18). At the conclusion of this 40 day encounter God made a covenant with Moses and the people. After the prophet Elijah had confronted the sin of idolatry (the worship of false gods) in the land of Israel and destroyed the 400 priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40), he fled into the wilderness and journeyed for 40 days to the mountain of God at Sinai (1 Kings 19:8). There God spoke with Elijah and commissioned him to pass on the work of restoring the worship of the one true God in the land. After Jesus was anointed by the Spirit in the waters of the Jordan River, he journeyed to the wilderness of Judea for 40 days to prepare himself for the mission which the Father sent him to accomplish - to offer up his life as the perfect atoning sacrifice for our sins. Through the shedding of his blood on the cross he won for us a new and everlasting covenant which fulfilled and surpassed all the previous covenants which God had made with his people.
God's Word and Spirit sustains those who seek God's will
Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us in their Gospel accounts that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. Mark states it most emphatically: "The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness" (Mark 1:12). Why was Jesus compelled to seek solitude for such a lengthy period? Was it simply a test to prepare him for his ministry? Or did Satan want to lure him into a trap? The word temptin English usually means to entice to sin or wrong-doing. The scriptural word here also means test in the sense of proving and purifying someone to see if there are ready for the task at hand. We test pilots to see that they are fit to fly. Likewise God tests his servants to see if they are fit to be used by him.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us in their Gospel accounts that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. Mark states it most emphatically: "The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness" (Mark 1:12). Why was Jesus compelled to seek solitude for such a lengthy period? Was it simply a test to prepare him for his ministry? Or did Satan want to lure him into a trap? The word temptin English usually means to entice to sin or wrong-doing. The scriptural word here also means test in the sense of proving and purifying someone to see if there are ready for the task at hand. We test pilots to see that they are fit to fly. Likewise God tests his servants to see if they are fit to be used by him.
God tested Abraham to prove his faith. The Israelites were
sorely tested in Egypt before God delivered them from their enemies. Jesus was
no exception to this testing. Satan, in turn, did his best to entice Jesus
to chose his own will over the will of his Father in heaven. Despite his
weakened condition, due to fatigue and lack of food for 40 days, Jesus
steadfastly rejected Satan's subtle and not so subtle temptations. Where did
Jesus find his strength to survive the desert's harsh conditions and the tempter's
seduction? He fed on his Father's word and found strength in doing his will. Satan
will surely tempt us and will try his best to get us to choose our will over
God's will. If he can’t make us renounce our faith or sin mortally, he will
then try to get us to make choices that will lead us, little by little, away
from what God wants for us.
As soon as John the Baptist had finished his ministry, Jesus
began his in Galilee, his home district. John's enemies had sought to silence
him, but the Gospel cannot be silenced. Jesus proclaimed that the time of
restoration proclaimed by the prophets was now being fulfilled in his very
person and that the kingdom of God was at hand. What is the kingdom of God? The
word "kingdom" means something more than a territory or an area of
land. It literally means "sovereignty" or "reign" and the
power to "rule" and exercise authority. The prophets announced that
God would establish a kingdom not just for one nation or people but for the
whole world. God sent us his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, not to establish an
earthly kingdom but to bring us into his heavenly kingdom - a kingdom ruled by
justice, truth, peace, and holiness. The kingdom of God is the central theme of
Jesus' mission. It's the core of his Gospel message.
Two conditions for the kingdom - repent and believe
How do we enter the kingdom of God? In announcing the good news of the Gospel Jesus gave two explicit things each of us must do in order to receive the kingdom of God: repent and believe. Repent means to turn away from sin and wrong-doing in order to follow God's way of love, truth, and moral goodness. When we submit to God's rule in our lives and believe in the Gospel message the Lord Jesus gives us the grace and power to live a new way of life as citizens of his kingdom. He gives us grace to renounce the kingdom of darkness ruled by pride, sin, and Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44) and the ruler of this present world (John 12:31). Repentance is the first step to surrendering my will and my life to God.
How do we enter the kingdom of God? In announcing the good news of the Gospel Jesus gave two explicit things each of us must do in order to receive the kingdom of God: repent and believe. Repent means to turn away from sin and wrong-doing in order to follow God's way of love, truth, and moral goodness. When we submit to God's rule in our lives and believe in the Gospel message the Lord Jesus gives us the grace and power to live a new way of life as citizens of his kingdom. He gives us grace to renounce the kingdom of darkness ruled by pride, sin, and Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44) and the ruler of this present world (John 12:31). Repentance is the first step to surrendering my will and my life to God.
Repentance means to change - to change my way of thinking, my
attitude, my disposition, and the way I choose to live my life - so that the
Lord Jesus can be the Master and Ruler of my heart, mind, and will. Whatever
stands in the way of God's will and plan for my life must be surrendered to him
- my sinful pride, my rebellious attitude, and stubborn will to do as I please
rather than as God pleases. If I am only sorry for the consequences of my own
sinful ways, I will very likely keep repeating the same sins that control my
thoughts and actions. True repentance requires a contrite heart and true sorrow
for sin (Psalm 51:17) and a firm resolution to avoid the near occasion of sin.
The Lord Jesus gives us the grace to see sin for what it really is - a
rejection of his love, truth, and wisdom for our lives and a refusal to do what
he says is right and good for us. His grace brings pardon and freedom from
guilt, and breaks the power of bondage to sin in our lives through the strength
and help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. If we yield to the Holy
Spirit and not to our sinful inclinations, we will find the strength and help
we need to turn away from all wrong-doing and whatever else might keep us from
living in his truth and love.
To believe is to take Jesus at his word and to
recognize that God loved us so much that he sent his only begotten Son to free
us from bondage to sin and harmful desires. God made the supreme sacrifice of
his Son on the cross to bring us back to a relationship of peace, friendship,
and unity with our Father in heaven. He is our Father and he
wants us to live in joy and freedom as his beloved sons and
daughters. God loved us first and he invites us in love to surrender our lives
to him. Do you believe in the Gospel -the good news of Jesus Christ - and in
the power of the Holy Spirit who transforms each one of us into the likeness of
Christ?
“Lord Jesus, your word is life, joy, wisdom, and strength for
me. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may have the strength and courage to
embrace your will in all things and to renounce whatever is contrary to your
will for me.”
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT, FEBRUARY 22, MARK
1:12-15
(Genesis 9:8-15; Psalm 25; 1 Peter 3:18-22)
(Genesis 9:8-15; Psalm 25; 1 Peter 3:18-22)
KEY VERSE: "The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (v 15).
TO KNOW: The church marks the 40 day Lenten observance as an opportunity to make a new beginning with God. In the bible, the desert was a place of special encounters with God. The Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the desert after the exodus. Elijah spent 40 days in the desert until he was strengthened by God to resume his prophetic task. Mark wrote that after Jesus' baptism, the Spirit sent him into the desert for forty days to confront the powers of evil, which Mark termed "the wild beasts" (v 13). In contrast to the disobedience of God's people, Jesus rejected every temptation to earthly power. The ways of the world were not the ways of Jesus. Matthew wrote: “The devil left Jesus for a time” (Mt 4:11). Those temptations kept coming back. As disciples of Jesus, we reject the so called wisdom of the world with its political power and military might. In Jesus, God's kingdom arrived and the Messianic era had begun, a time for the restoration of all creation (Is 11:6). Like Jesus, we must go forth with the message to repent and believe in the good news.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, I reject Satan, and all his works and empty promises, so that I might live in the freedom of God's children (Renewal of Baptismal promises).
TO SERVE: What temptations do I need to overcome this season of Lent?
THE RCIA -- THE RITE OF ELECTION
On the First Sunday of Lent the church formally announces the names of those who will soon celebrate the sacraments of initiation through the rite of election, and those who are named will celebrate baptism, confirmation, and first communion at their parishes during the following Easter Vigil. Generally, the rite takes place at the cathedral with the bishop. Because of the cathedral’s limited space and sometimes remote location, parish communities celebrate the rite of sending at a Sunday Mass. After the homily, a catechist may present the catechumens to the priest, who calls them forward with their godparents and asks if the catechumens are ready. The church must verify the readiness of the catechumens. We do not baptize based only on their desire. This is carried out by those who help form the catechumens, by godparents, and members of the community (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults 122). In some places, the catechumens sign the book of the elect at the parish during the rite of sending. In others, they sign it at the cathedral during the rite of election. When the rite of election takes place at the cathedral with the bishop, these individuals enter the cathedral as "catechumens" and leave as "elect." "Election" refers to the idea of "the chosen people." In Israel’s early history, God chose a people and established a covenant with them. Christians believe that God continues to choose people, now through the covenant of baptism. The rite of election thus establishes the names of those who will enter the new covenant through the sacraments of initiation.
Sunday 22 February 2015
1st Sunday of Lent. V.
Genesis 9:8-15. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant—Ps 24(25):4-9. 1 Peter 3:18-22. Mark 1:12-15 [Chair of St Peter, Apostle].
Genesis 9:8-15. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant—Ps 24(25):4-9. 1 Peter 3:18-22. Mark 1:12-15 [Chair of St Peter, Apostle].
Jesus’ first message is:
‘Repent and believe the Good News.’
Sometimes we miss the real
beauty of the word ‘repentance’. We focus on ourselves—I have sinned; I am
sorry; I must shape up; I must do better. All that is valid, but true
repentance comes when we feel grief deep in our heart because of our lack of
fidelity to God who is so good and merciful, who every day gives us life and
love.
We need to come humbly,
asking forgiveness and the grace to grow out of our sinfulness and towards him.
As we come to know his love, even in the face of our unfaithfulness, we
experience a welling up of gratitude and true repentance. Lord, only you can
give us this grace.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Call to Prayer
|
Giving something up for Lent is only one part of a larger call to
engage our faith more fully and more devoutly during the 40 days of Lent: that
call is a call to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Or, to put it another way, to
lift up, to give up, and to take up.
February
22
Chair of St. Peter
Chair of St. Peter
This feast commemorates Christ’s choosing Peter to sit in his
place as the servant-authority of the whole Church (see June 29).
After the
“lost weekend” of pain, doubt and self-torment, Peter hears the Good News.
Angels at the tomb say to Magdalene, “The Lord has risen! Go, tell his
disciples and Peter.” John relates that when he and Peter ran to the tomb, the
younger outraced the older, then waited for him. Peter entered, saw the
wrappings on the ground, the headpiece rolled up in a place by itself. John saw
and believed. But he adds a reminder: “...[T]hey did not yet understand the
scripture that he had to rise from the dead” (John 20:9). They went home. There
the slowly exploding, impossible idea became reality. Jesus appeared to them as
they waited fearfully behind locked doors. “Peace be with you,” he said (John
20:21b), and they rejoiced.
The
Pentecost event completed Peter’s experience of the risen Christ. “...[T]hey
were all filled with the holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4a) and began to express
themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted
them.
Only then
can Peter fulfill the task Jesus had given him: “... [O]nce you have turned
back, you must strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). He at once becomes the
spokesman for the Twelve about their experience of the Holy Spirit—before the
civil authorities who wished to quash their preaching, before the council of
Jerusalem, for the community in the problem of Ananias and Sapphira. He is the
first to preach the Good News to the Gentiles. The healing power of Jesus in
him is well attested: the raising of Tabitha from the dead, the cure of the
crippled beggar. People carry the sick into the streets so that when Peter
passed his shadow might fall on them.
Even a
saint experiences difficulty in Christian living. When Peter stopped eating
with Gentile converts because he did not want to wound the sensibilities of
Jewish Christians, Paul says, “...I opposed him to his face because he clearly
was wrong.... [T]hey were not on the right road in line with the truth of the
gospel...” (Galatians 2:11b, 14a).
At the
end of John’s Gospel, Jesus says to Peter, “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you
were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you
grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and
lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). What Jesus said indicated
the sort of death by which Peter was to glorify God. On Vatican Hill, in Rome,
during the reign of Nero, Peter did glorify his Lord with a martyr’s death,
probably in the company of many Christians.
Second-century
Christians built a small memorial over his burial spot. In the fourth century,
the Emperor Constantine built a basilica, which was replaced in the 16th
century.
Stories:
This saintly man's life is perhaps best summed up at his meeting with Jesus after the resurrection in the presence of the men Peter was to lead. In imitation of Peter's triple denial, Jesus asked him three times, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" (John 21:16b). Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. . . . Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you (John 21:16c, 17b).
This saintly man's life is perhaps best summed up at his meeting with Jesus after the resurrection in the presence of the men Peter was to lead. In imitation of Peter's triple denial, Jesus asked him three times, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" (John 21:16b). Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. . . . Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you (John 21:16c, 17b).
Comment:
Like the committee chair, this chair refers to the occupant, not the furniture. Its first occupant stumbled a bit, denying Jesus three times and hesitating to welcome gentiles into the new Church. Some of its later occupants have also stumbled a bit, sometimes even failed scandalously. As individuals, we may sometimes think a particular pope has let us down. Still, the office endures as a sign of the long tradition we cherish and as a focus for the universal Church.
Like the committee chair, this chair refers to the occupant, not the furniture. Its first occupant stumbled a bit, denying Jesus three times and hesitating to welcome gentiles into the new Church. Some of its later occupants have also stumbled a bit, sometimes even failed scandalously. As individuals, we may sometimes think a particular pope has let us down. Still, the office endures as a sign of the long tradition we cherish and as a focus for the universal Church.
Quote:
Peter described our Christian calling in the opening of his First Letter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...” (1 Peter 1:3a).
Peter described our Christian calling in the opening of his First Letter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...” (1 Peter 1:3a).
LECTIO DIVINA:
1ST SUNDAY OF LENT (B)
Lectio:
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Temptation overcome with the strength of the
Spirit Jesus begins the proclamation of the Good News of the Kingdom
Mark 1:12-15
Mark 1:12-15
1. Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
2. Reading
a) A key to the reading:
The text of this Sunday’s liturgy presents us with the beginning of Jesus’ public life: the forty days in the desert, the temptations of Satan, the arrest of John the Baptist, the beginning of the proclamation of the Good News of God and a brief summary of four points concerning the things that Jesus proclaimed to the people in his land. During the reading, let us pay attention to the following two points: What is Jesus proclaiming to the people? And what is he asking of us?
The text of this Sunday’s liturgy presents us with the beginning of Jesus’ public life: the forty days in the desert, the temptations of Satan, the arrest of John the Baptist, the beginning of the proclamation of the Good News of God and a brief summary of four points concerning the things that Jesus proclaimed to the people in his land. During the reading, let us pay attention to the following two points: What is Jesus proclaiming to the people? And what is he asking of us?
b) A division of the text as an aid to the reading:
Mark 1:12-13: The Good News is tried and put to the test in the desert.
Mark 1:14: Jesus begins the proclamation of the Good News of God.
Mark 1:15: A summary of the Good News of God.
c) The text:
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."
Mark 1:12-13: The Good News is tried and put to the test in the desert.
Mark 1:14: Jesus begins the proclamation of the Good News of God.
Mark 1:15: A summary of the Good News of God.
c) The text:
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."
3. A moment of prayerful silence
so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
4. Some questions
to help us in our personal reflection.
a) What part of the text did you like best and what made an impression on you? Why?
b) Forty days in the desert and, after that, the temptations. What is the significance of this bit of information for the community at the time of Mark’s writing? What is its significance for us today?
c) It was the fact that John the Baptist was arrested that led Jesus to go back to Galilee and begin the proclamation of the Good News of God. What is the significance of this bit of information for the community at the time of Mark’s writing? What is its significance for us today?
d) The Good News that Jesus proclaimed has four points. What are they? What does each point signify?
e) What is the message sent by all these points for us today?
a) What part of the text did you like best and what made an impression on you? Why?
b) Forty days in the desert and, after that, the temptations. What is the significance of this bit of information for the community at the time of Mark’s writing? What is its significance for us today?
c) It was the fact that John the Baptist was arrested that led Jesus to go back to Galilee and begin the proclamation of the Good News of God. What is the significance of this bit of information for the community at the time of Mark’s writing? What is its significance for us today?
d) The Good News that Jesus proclaimed has four points. What are they? What does each point signify?
e) What is the message sent by all these points for us today?
5. A key to the reading
for those who wish to go deeper into the theme.
a) The context of the text in Mark’s Gospel:
* The Good News of God, prepared throughout history (Mk 1: 1-8),
was solemnly proclaimed by the Father at the time of Jesus’ baptism (Mk 1:
9-11). Now, in our text, this proclamation is put to the test in the desert (Mk
1: 12-13) and, immediately, the result of the long preparation becomes
apparent. Jesus proclaims the Good News in public to the people (Mk 1:14-15).
* In the 70s, when Mark is writing, as the Christians read this
description of the beginning of the Good News, they also looked into the mirror
of their own lives. The desert, temptations, prison, these were things with
which they were familiar. Nevertheless, like Jesus, they tried to proclaim the
Good News of God.
b) Comments:
* Mark 1:12-13: The Good News is tried and tested in the desert.
After the baptism, the Spirit takes possession of Jesus and leads him into the desert, where for forty days he prepares himself for his mission (Mk 1: 12s). Mark says that Jesus remained in the desert for forty days and was tempted there by Satan. In Matthew 4: 1-11, the temptations are made explicit, the temptation of the bread, the temptation of prestige and the temptation of power. These were the three temptations experienced by the people in the desert after they went out of Egypt (Dt 8:3; 6: 13.16). Temptation is whatever draws someone away from the way towards God. The letter to the Hebrews says, "Jesus was tempted in all things like us, except in sin" (Heb 4:15). Taking his direction from the Word of God, Jesus faced the temptations (Mt 4: 4.7.10). Placed in the midst of the poor and united to the Father in prayer, Jesus remains faithful to both, resists and continues on the way of the Messiah-Servant, the way of service of God and of the people (Mt 20:28).
* Mark 1:14: Jesus begins to proclaim the Good News.
While Jesus was preparing himself in the desert, John the Baptist was arrested by Herod. The text says, After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God. John the Baptist’s arrest did not surprise Jesus, rather the opposite. The experience of the baptism had opened his eyes. In John’s arrest, he saw a sign of the coming of the Kingdom. John the Baptist’s arrest was connected with the politics of the country. Today, too, politics influence our proclamation of the Good News to the people. Mark says that Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of God. Jesus tells us that God is Good News for all human beings. Saint Augustine says, "You have made us for you, and our hearts will not rest until they rest in you". Jesus’ proclamation responds to the deepest search of the human heart.
While Jesus was preparing himself in the desert, John the Baptist was arrested by Herod. The text says, After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God. John the Baptist’s arrest did not surprise Jesus, rather the opposite. The experience of the baptism had opened his eyes. In John’s arrest, he saw a sign of the coming of the Kingdom. John the Baptist’s arrest was connected with the politics of the country. Today, too, politics influence our proclamation of the Good News to the people. Mark says that Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of God. Jesus tells us that God is Good News for all human beings. Saint Augustine says, "You have made us for you, and our hearts will not rest until they rest in you". Jesus’ proclamation responds to the deepest search of the human heart.
* Mark 1:15: A summary of the Good News of God.
The proclamation of the Good News of God contains four points: i) The waiting is over. ii) The Kingdom of God has come. iii) A change of life. iv) Belief in the Good News.
i) The waiting is over! For the other Jews, the time of waiting for the Kingdom was not yet over. For the Pharisees, for instance, the Kingdom would come only when the observance of the law was perfect. For the Essenes, when the country was purified. For the Herodians, when they would take over dominion over the world. Jesus’ way of thinking is different. He reads events differently. He says that the time of waiting is over.
ii) The Kingdom of God is at hand! For the Pharisees and the Essenes, the coming of the Kingdom was dependent on their efforts. The Kingdom would come only when they had played their part, that is the observance of the whole of the Law, the purification of the whole country. Jesus says the opposite: "The Kingdom is at hand". The Kingdom was already there, among them, independently of any effort. When Jesus says, "The Kingdom is at hand", he is not saying that it is on the way at a particular moment, but that it is already there. What all were hoping for was already present in the midst of the people, and they did not know it, nor did they see it (cfr Lk 17: 21). Jesus saw it because he could see reality with different eyes. It is this hidden presence of the Kingdom in the midst of the people that Jesus reveals and proclaims to the poor of his land. It is this seed of the Kingdom that will receive the rain of his Word and the warmth of his love.
iii) A change of life! Some translate this as, to do penance, others as, "to convert" or "to repent". The exact meaning is to change the way of thinking and of living. In order to be able to perceive this presence of the Kingdom, a person must begin to think, live and act differently. The person must change the way of life and find a new form of living. We must set aside the legalism taught by the Pharisees and allow the new experience of God to invade our life and allow new sight to read and understand what goes on.
iv) Belief in the Good News! It was not easy to accept the message. It is not easy to begin to think in a completely different way from that learnt since childhood. This is only possible by an act of faith. When someone comes with an unexpected piece of news, difficult to accept, one accepts it only if the person who brings the news is worthy of trust. We would then also say to others, "You can believe this because I know the person and he/she does not deceive. This person can be believed because he/she speaks the truth". Jesus is worthy of our trust!
The proclamation of the Good News of God contains four points: i) The waiting is over. ii) The Kingdom of God has come. iii) A change of life. iv) Belief in the Good News.
i) The waiting is over! For the other Jews, the time of waiting for the Kingdom was not yet over. For the Pharisees, for instance, the Kingdom would come only when the observance of the law was perfect. For the Essenes, when the country was purified. For the Herodians, when they would take over dominion over the world. Jesus’ way of thinking is different. He reads events differently. He says that the time of waiting is over.
ii) The Kingdom of God is at hand! For the Pharisees and the Essenes, the coming of the Kingdom was dependent on their efforts. The Kingdom would come only when they had played their part, that is the observance of the whole of the Law, the purification of the whole country. Jesus says the opposite: "The Kingdom is at hand". The Kingdom was already there, among them, independently of any effort. When Jesus says, "The Kingdom is at hand", he is not saying that it is on the way at a particular moment, but that it is already there. What all were hoping for was already present in the midst of the people, and they did not know it, nor did they see it (cfr Lk 17: 21). Jesus saw it because he could see reality with different eyes. It is this hidden presence of the Kingdom in the midst of the people that Jesus reveals and proclaims to the poor of his land. It is this seed of the Kingdom that will receive the rain of his Word and the warmth of his love.
iii) A change of life! Some translate this as, to do penance, others as, "to convert" or "to repent". The exact meaning is to change the way of thinking and of living. In order to be able to perceive this presence of the Kingdom, a person must begin to think, live and act differently. The person must change the way of life and find a new form of living. We must set aside the legalism taught by the Pharisees and allow the new experience of God to invade our life and allow new sight to read and understand what goes on.
iv) Belief in the Good News! It was not easy to accept the message. It is not easy to begin to think in a completely different way from that learnt since childhood. This is only possible by an act of faith. When someone comes with an unexpected piece of news, difficult to accept, one accepts it only if the person who brings the news is worthy of trust. We would then also say to others, "You can believe this because I know the person and he/she does not deceive. This person can be believed because he/she speaks the truth". Jesus is worthy of our trust!
c) Further information:
The beginning of Jesus’ preaching of the Good News of God in
Galilee
The arrest of John made Jesus go back and begin his proclamation
of the Good News. It was an explosive beginning! Jesus goes throughout Galilee,
its villages, towns and cities (Mk 1: 39). He visits communities. He even
changes his residence and goes to live in Capernaum (Mk 1:21; 2:1), a city at
the crossroads, which made it easy for him to spread the message. He almost
never stays in the same place, he is always on the move. The disciples
accompany him everywhere, on the beach, on the road, on the mountain, in the
desert, in the boat, in the synagogues, in the houses. They are full of
enthusiasm.
Jesus helps people by serving them in several ways: he drives
out evil spirits (Mk 1:39), he heals the sick and afflicted (Mk 1: 34),
purifies those marginalised on account of the laws concerning purity (Mk 1:
40-45), welcomes the marginalised and treats them with familiarity (Mk 2: 15).
He proclaims, calls, convokes, attracts, consoles, helps. He reveals his
passion, passion for the Father and for the poor and abandoned people of his
land. Wherever there are people who will listen to him, he speaks and conveys
the Good News of God. Everywhere!
Jesus reveals everything that animates him from within. Not only
does he proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom, but he himself is a figure and a
living witness of the Kingdom. In him we see what happens when someone allows
God to rule, to take possession of his/her life. By his life and manner of
acting, Jesus reveals what God had in mind when he called the people at the
time of Abraham and of Moses. Jesus put to rest a nostalgia and transformed it
into hope. Suddenly it became clear for the people: "This is what God was
asking for when he called us to be his people!". The people savoured
listening to Jesus.
Such was the beginning of the proclamation of the Good News of
the Kingdom, which spread rapidly through the villages of Galilee. It started
small like a seed, but grew to become a large tree, where people could find
shelter (Mk 4: 31-32). Then the people themselves began to spread the news.
The people of Galilee were impressed by the way Jesus taught.
"A new doctrine is taught with authority, not like that of the
Scribes" (Mk 1: 22.27). Teaching was what Jesus mostly did (Mk 2: 13;
4:1-2; 6:34). It was his custom (Mk 10:1). Over fifteen times, the Gospel of
Mark says that Jesus taught. But Mark almost never says what he taught. Perhaps
he was not interested in the content? It depends on what we mean by content.
Teaching is not just a matter of passing on new truths to people. The content
that Jesus preached manifests itself not only through his words, but also through
his actions and in the manner of his relating to people. The content is never
divorced from the person who communicates it. Good content without personal
goodness is like spilt milk.
Mark defines the content of Jesus’ teaching as "the Good
News of God" (Mk 1: 14). The Good News that Jesus proclaimed comes from
God and reveals something about God. All that Jesus says and does, manifest the
traits of the face of God. They manifest the experience that Jesus has of God
as Father. Revealing God as Father is the source, while the content is the
object of the Good News of Jesus.
6. Psalm 25 (24)
The God of Jesus calls us to conversion
To thee, O Lord,
I lift up my soul.
O my God, in thee I trust, let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
Yea, let none that wait for thee be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
I lift up my soul.
O my God, in thee I trust, let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
Yea, let none that wait for thee be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Make me to know thy ways, O Lord;
teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me,
for thou art the God of my salvation;
for thee I wait all the day long.
Be mindful of thy mercy, O Lord,
and of thy steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth,
or my transgressions;
according to thy steadfast love remember me,
for thy goodness' sake, O Lord!
teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me,
for thou art the God of my salvation;
for thee I wait all the day long.
Be mindful of thy mercy, O Lord,
and of thy steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth,
or my transgressions;
according to thy steadfast love remember me,
for thy goodness' sake, O Lord!
Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
For thy name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
For thy name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who is the man that fears the Lord?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
He himself shall abide in prosperity,
and his children shall possess the land.
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
He himself shall abide in prosperity,
and his children shall possess the land.
The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
and he makes known to them his covenant.
My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn thou to me, and be gracious to me;
for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distresses.
for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distresses.
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
and forgive all my sins.
Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
Oh guard my life, and deliver me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in thee.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for thee.
Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in thee.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for thee.
Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.
7. Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to
understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions
and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us.
May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practise the Word.
You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever
and ever. Amen.
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