1st Sunday of Lent, Year B by Rev Fr. Lucas Binnah Junior

First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15 / Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25:4-5ab.6.7bc.8-9 (R.10) Second Reading: I Peter 3:18-22 / Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 4:4b / Gospel: Mark 1:12-15

Theme: God Never Gives Up On Us!

Another season of grace has come. We are in Lent. Lent is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words Lencten which means “spring” and Lenctentid literally meaning “Springtide” or “March” (the month in which Lent usually falls). It began as a means of reminding Christians and indeed, all humanity about the necessity and value of repentance. It starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday, a 40-day journey reflecting the 40 days of spiritual battle Jesus spent in the desert in preparation for his public ministry. This number prefigures the 40 days each that Moses and Elijah spent in their moments of ministerial trials as well as other symbolic Biblical events (e.g. cf. Ex. 24:18, 34:28; I Kgs 19:8; Gen.7:4,17; Num.14:34; Jon.3:4). Hence, the theological and spiritual significance of the number “40” is that, following the example of these biblical figures and events, we are afforded a considerable length of time to prepare sufficiently to encounter the risen Lord at Easter. Through its rigours, we learn to endure and become stronger spiritually.

On Ash Wednesday, ashes were administered to us, to remind us of the fact of human frailty and mortality. It was a clarion call for sincere change of heart and belief in the Gospel. Today, the first Sunday of Lent, we are shown the relentless character of God, namely, the God who never gives up on us, the God who cannot stop loving us and who expects us to change for the better. So, after the fall of man (cf. Gen. 3), God did not abandon humanity to their fate. The primordial flood destroyed everything on the earth’s surface except eight people namely, Noah, his wife, his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, and their wives, and the other creatures in the Ark (cf. Gen. 8). St. Peter in the second reading reiterates the devastation of the Deluge and emphasizes the point that the flood is a reflection of the sacrament of baptism which gives us a new humanity, the new people of God! Despite our inclination to sin and evil, God urges us patiently to repent. So, Peter further adds that: “Christ himself, innocent though he was, had died once for sins, died for the guilty, to lead us to God” (I Pet. 3:18). This shows that although God hates sin, he still loves the sinner and gives them the opportunity to repent in order to be saved. Christ’s vicarious sacrifice is universal and applies to the dead, the living and the unborn. Therefore, according to William Barclay, there is no corner of the universe into which the grace of God has not reached. If there is a contrite heart ready to change, there is a merciful God to forgive!

 In the light of this, God, in the first reading reaffirms his deep love for human beings through a covenant when he says “Here is the sign of the Covenant I make between myself and you and every living creature with you for all generations … And so the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh” (Gen. 9:15). In every covenant or pact, each party commits itself based on some terms and conditions or memorandum of understanding. Clearly, God promises never to destroy the earth with flood, and it was and is still man’s duty to refrain from sin and evil. No wonder the Psalmist harps on this when he sings: “Your ways, Lord, are faithfulness and love for those who keep your covenant” (Ps. 25:10). The Priestly author of Genesis chapter nine speaks of the rainbow as a sign of God’s covenant with us and stresses his gracious, eternal and unconditional commitment to the whole of creation. The story of the flood has within it a profound truth namely, that sin brings destruction and death if we continue to live in it (cf. Rom 6:23). Nevertheless, if we humble ourselves and amend our ways, God will guide our paths as we are told: “Good and upright is the Lord; he shows the way to sinners. He guides the humble in the right judgement; to the humble he teaches his way” (Ps. 25: 8-9).

In the Gospel, Jesus experiences what every human being is very familiar with namely, trials and temptations. We face temptations every day. Satan, is a Hebrew noun which means Tempter/ Accuser/Adversary. Satan, sometimes identified as the Devil, Lucifer, the lord of evil and enemy of God, always tempts us, and his one and main intention is to make us fall from grace and also to lose our coveted relationship with God. He has already lost this relationship with God and he wants others to lose theirs too. This explains why he used every opportunity (even through his wife), apart from touching and destroying his possessions, to urge Job to curse God (cf. Job 2:9).

 St. James tells us that God never tempts us nor can he be tempted by evil (cf. Jas. 1:13). So, temptations must be distinguished from trials or testing. Whereas Satan’s temptations aim at making us fall into sin, trials/testing have the aim of making us steadfast or persevere in our faith as children of God. In this vein, St. James exhorts us with these words: “Consider yourselves fortunate, my brothers, when you meet with every kind of trial, for you know that the testing of your faith makes you steadfast. Let your steadfastness become perfect with deeds, that you yourselves may be mature and whole, lacking in nothing” (Jas. 1:2-4). Therefore, trials strengthen and make us warriors in our pilgrim journey on earth. Again, St. Paul assures us: “No trial has come to you that is not common to human beings. God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond your strength. He will give you together with the temptation the means to escape and to resist” (I Cor. 10:13). Our own evil desires can also lead us to succumb to temptations (cf. Jas. 1:14-15). However, we can face trials and temptations with God’s power.

 God is ready to do anything in order to save us. Even if it takes the precious blood of Jesus, God will not spare that. This is the depth of God’s love, and we must reciprocate it by loving him also with all our hearts. In every temptation and trial, God comes to our assistance. In the case of Jesus, St. Mark tells us that when he was tempted by Satan, the angels ministered to him (cf. Mk.1:13). We are never left alone in our battles; there is always a divine reinforcement! Let us not feel abandoned, defenceless and hopeless in the face of daily challenges. The mighty Lord of battle who dispatched horses and chariots of fire around prophet Elisha and his servant, will protect us to victory (cf. II Kgs 6:17, 8-23). There is a story about the eagle and the raven. It is believed that the raven is the only bird that dares to peck an eagle. It sits on the eagle’s back and bites its neck. When this happens, the eagle does not fight back but only spreads its wings and fly higher facing the sun. At such higher altitudes, the raven is unable to breathe well because of lack of oxygen, and then, it falls off by itself. Let us not give up in the face of troubles, but to raise our spiritual standards, and the ‘ravens’ in our lives will fall off! Lent is such time. Let us not give up on the God who never gives up on us. Rather, let us renew our faith, hope and love in him as Pope Francis reiterates in his 2021 Lenten Message. God will make us new if we let him! Happy Sunday, and do have a spirit-filled Lent! Remember: #God-Never-Gives-Up-On-Us#

By Rev. Fr. Lucas Binnah Junior, C.S.Sp.

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