The First Sunday of Lent â 21st February 2021
Lectionary Readings: Gen 9:8-15; Ps 25:4-9; 1 Pet 3:18-22; Mk 1:12-15
Theme: Living with hope
Our Gospel reading immediately follows the story about Jesus being âbaptised by John in the Jordanâ and the âSpirit descending on him like a doveâ (Mark 1:9-10). This is the same Spirit who, in our reading, drives Jesus into the âwildernessâ where he is tested. This wilderness experience is then followed by Jesus âproclaiming the good news from God, âThe time has come and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good Newsââ. (Mk 1:14-15)
Our first reading from Genesis also provides us with good news. Our text occurs just after a great flood that has finally receded to the point that the ground is âcompletely dryâ (Gen. 8:14). Then we hear the good news that God is establishing a covenant with âall life on the earthâ (Gen. 9:17) which includes the promise that âthere shall be no flood to destroy the earth againâ. (Gen. 9:11)
These two narratives (Mark 1:9-15 and Genesis 9:8-15) include water, dry land and the promise of something new emerging. These three ingredients appear in all our lives at various times and in various ways. The meaning of each may differ depending on our circumstances, but their potential to deepen our relationship with God remains something we can choose to experience or not.
 The covenant in Genesis is spoken in a specific moment and speaks to all time after that moment, i.e. God promises that âthere shall be no flood to destroy the earth again.â (Gen. 9:15) The focus of the story in Genesis is on Godâs promise and the part God plays in keeping it. Â
In Mark, we hear âthe time has come and the kingdom of God is close at handâ. Some awaited-for moment is arriving into the present moment. Now we are called to action, âto repent and believe the Good Newsâ. The emphasis here is on our part in the relationship with God. The call for repentance tells us that wrongdoing continued even after the flood which itself was a consequence for wrongdoing. God however ârecallsâ Godâs covenant with us when God sees the âbow in the cloudsâ, the âsign of the Covenantâ that God will not destroy the earth again with a flood. (Gen. 9:13-15)
Life experiences, including the floods and drought that happen on our planet, can remind us of Godâs covenant. These are moments when we can potentially come face to face with our own wrongdoing. They are also moments when we find ourselves with another chance to turn back to God and believe the good news that echoes throughout time; âGod has made a covenant with every living creature for all generationsâ (Gen. 9:12). This is good news and we have a part to play in it. Â
For Reflection and Discussion: 1. In the wilderness experiences of life, what would further enhance your openness to hearing Godâs word and experiencing Godâs presence? 2. Sometimes the temptation is not to acknowledge what is tempting. How might we support each other in becoming more conscious of this? 3. Where do you notice the desert blooming in your life and in the world?
Bibliography: Beavis, Mary Ann. Mark: Commentaries on the New Testament (Michigan: 2011).
This weekâs Sunday Liturgy Commentary was prepared by
ThérÚse Fitzgerald NDS, Ireland, Bat Kol Alumna: 2015, 2018
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