FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT, YR B
Gen 9:8-15; Ps 25
1Pt 3:18-22; Mk 1:12-15
BECOMING A BETTER PERSON IN THE DESERT OF LENT
After the baptism of Jesus, he was driven into the desert, where he remained for forty days and was tempted by Satan. We read, that, “while in the desert, he was among wild beasts and angels ministered to him.” Mk1:13. After the forty days, Jesus came out from the desert proclaiming the kingdom of God, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; Repent and believe the gospel.” (Mk 1:15).
The desert has been a place of encounter with God. It has been a place to hear the Word of God, “So I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart…” (Hos 2:14). Pope John Paul II says, “The desert is a place of dryness, conversion and death.” No one goes to the desert in search of an encounter with God and returns empty handed.
Lent is a journey through the desert for all of us who wish to encounter the Lord, to be dependent on him and to die to self.
The Spirit drives us in this season to return to the love of our life – God. We must acknowledge that we are weak and have abandoned the Lord. It is important then to be conscious that we want to change during this season, however, we must be clear about two things:
The first is, ‘In what ways are we being tempted?’ It comes from being sincere with ourselves and discovering the avenues, places and people that lead us to sin. It helps to actually write all these down in a spiritual journal. The devil tempts us to hold on to grudges and bitterness, to cause division and discord. He deceives us regarding what will make us happy.
The second is to consider, ‘how can you overcome them?’ Many times, we are already aware of what we need to do to overcome the temptations and sins in our lives. There are things we need to do or stop doing. There are relationships we must break away from. To overcome these temptations, we must speak to our spiritual directors often in total honesty, truth and sincerity so that they can journey with us. If you do not have a spiritual director, this season is a good time to find one.
Our Lenten observances and resolutions should reflect the kind of change we seek in our spiritual life. It should indicate the temptations we want to overcome in our lives. When we fast, give up sweets, gossip and attend retreats, we are not just fulfilling church obligations but we are actually changing to become better children of God.
In Mk 1:12 we read that, “Jesus was among wild beasts”. It means that Jesus was at the most remote and unfrequented part of the desert. It would be the most challenging part of the desert to find oneself. Each one of us has beasts in our hearts. Beasts are wild animals that cannot follow rules. The beasts of our hearts are those that seem not to yield to our control. There are certain behaviours we seem to have lost control over. They represent our “Achilles’ heel” in our spiritual journey. This season of Lent is a time when we confront the beasts in our hearts and overcome them. Sometimes we convince ourselves that we can never change or overcome such weaknesses in our lives.
But we thank God for this holy season of Lent. During this season, we do not confront our wild beasts and weaknesses alone; The Holy Spirit journeys with us to strengthen us. St Paul says, “I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,” (Eph 3:16). The Holy Spirit also gives us power to overcome temptations (Gal 5:16).
As we journey, never forget that, it is the Holy Spirit that drives us into this season. The Holy Spirit will never drive you to what will bring you failure and embarrassment but that which will bring you victory, freedom and glory to God.
It is not only the Holy spirit that is with us; Angels will minister to us as they did to Jesus.
God has made enough provision for our success and growth this season and this year. Jesus faced temptation in the desert and never sinned, we too can have his victory too.
May this season of Lent bring some fragrance and newness into our lives.
God bless you
By Fr. Delight Arnold Carbonu
