First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15
Reflection:
In the time of Noah, God destroyed the earth with a flood as a consequence of sin. People were rebelling against God and neglecting to worship Him. But Noah and his family were righteous, trusting in God’s promises. As a result, God spared them from the flood waters in the Ark. After the flood, as we hear about in this reading, God made a covenant with Noah and his family, including their descendants and, in fact, all of creation. A covenant is a promise based on a relationship in which two parties agree to commit themselves to one another. In essence, here God is saying that He will not abandon His creation. He is pledging Himself to creation. As is in His nature, God will remain faithful. He destroyed the earth with a flood as a just consequence of man’s rebellion against Him. Yet, in His mercy, He spared some and brought about a new beginning after the flood. New life springs forth from the destructive waters of the flood. If we continue to read the biblical narrative, we see that sin survived the flood. Humanity would many times break the covenant God made with them, but God would still remain faithful. And He would remain committed to solving the problem of sin. In fact, these important events of Noah and the flood foreshadow the definitive answer to sin found in Jesus and His Church.
Second Reading: 2 Peter 3:18-22
Reflection:
In this Sunday’s second reading, we hear about that definitive answer to sin and its relationship with the events of Noah and the flood. Jesus died so that we might have life. He took all the sins of the world upon Himself, being sinless, and took them to the grave. He conquered sin and death by rising again on the third day. His once-for-all sacrifice for our sins offers us all new life in Him. For we are dead in our sins. How then does this saving act of Jesus become applied to us here and now? Through baptism, repentance, and faith! This passage, in particular, emphasizes the saving power of baptism. In baptism, we die to our sins and then are brought to new life in Christ. Peter here makes the connection between baptism and the flood of Noah. Just as Noah and his family “were saved through water,” so “baptism…saves you now.” Our faith teaches that the salvation Jesus won on the cross is given to us in our baptism. Yet, that is not the end of the story. God has made a covenant with us and promised to remain faithful to us. But will we remain faithful to Him? Will we “repent, and believe in the Gospel” (as we hear in the Gospel reading and were exhorted on Ash Wednesday)? Will we keep the covenant? Of course, we still struggle with sin after baptism, but we can turn to God in repentance, as Jesus calls us in this Sunday’s Gospel, and be made new again through trust in Him.
Gospel Reading: Mark 1:12-15
Reflection:
We come across the number 40 much in Scripture. Recall that the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness after the Exodus or that the flood waters poured down for 40 days and 40 nights in the time of Noah. This Sunday’s Gospel account follows immediately after Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, signaling a connection with the first two readings’s connection with baptism. Jesus then goes out into the desert for 40 days. 40 represents a time of testing and preparation in Scripture.
Jesus experienced testing by fasting for 40 days in the wilderness and being tempted by the devil, in preparation for His public ministry. Jesus persevered through this time of testing by overcoming the temptation to sin and showing Himself faithful. This foreshadows that Jesus will bring about the definitive solution to sin. Here we see Him already conquering evil and living in distinction to those in the Old Testament who continually broke God’s covenants with them. By His faithfulness and, ultimately, His death and resurrection, Jesus brings about new life for us. In response, He calls us to follow Him—to take up our cross and walk in His ways. Through Him comes salvation, for Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
During the season of Lent, we imitate Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and testing in the wilderness, with 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to live in solidarity with Jesus and grow in our relationship with Him. During this season, we ought to heed the words Jesus proclaimed when He began His public ministry in Galilee: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (words also typically spoken before the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday). The season of Lent is the perfect time to turn toward God in repentance and renew our faith in Him.
Application:
- Jesus came to proclaim the “good news” (i.e. gospel) of God and call people to turn from sin and turn to God. The “good news” is that God can and will forgive our sins because of Jesus’ work on the cross! Jesus brings us new life in Him through our baptism. Thank God this week for your baptism.
- Will you repent and believe? Take time this week to reflect on where you have strayed from God, ask His forgiveness, and then commit to visiting the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent.
