1st Lent 2012
Robert VerEecke, S.J.
Knock Knock. Who’s there? Noah? Noah who? Noah good ark builder?
Yes, I know that’s really bad. Here it is the first Sunday of Lent and I’m
telling jokes. This isn’t the time for jokes but rather the time for Yolks. Like
“take my yolk upon you and learn from me”. This is really serious stuff.
Only a few days ago on Ash Wednesday, we marked ourselves with gray ash
and heard about the spiritual warfare in which we must be engaged in this
Lenten season. There’s nothing funny or light about that. It’s a matter of life
and death! Or perhaps it’s a matter of life and light.
This past Advent I used “knock, knock” jokes to illustrate how there are
some automatic responses we use in conversation. We don’t need to think
about another response when someone says “Knock, knock”. I noted this in
reference to the response “the Lord be with you” which until Advent was
“and also with you”. Now the almost automatic response is “And with your
spirit”. When it comes to Lent, there are some “automatic responses”. We
automatically think that we need to make sacrifices, maybe some fasting, be
more serious about our faith, than at other times of the year. We associate
this season with images of the desert, ashes. We sing solemn songs and strip
away color and ornamentation to remind us of our sinfulness and our need
for God’s forgiveness and mercy.
That’s what is so interesting about the first Sunday of Lent in the B cycle.
As a church we don’t begin with somber, grey, penitential readings—we
begin with the “end”. The “end” for which we were created, which is to be
loved and love in return. The whole world is created to be in covenant
relationship with our God. God enters into a signed and sealed agreement of
love and fidelity. This first covenant is made with the earth. That does sound
like eco/theology doesn’t it? We don’t hear the story of the flood, the
destruction of the world by water that must have frightened the hearers of
this word long ago but rather we hear the “end of the story”. I will place my
arc/ bow in the heavens for all to see. This will be the sign for you. So the
first words we hear from our scriptures do not describe a “grey” world but
rather show us the full spectrum of light. Who is not “delighted” when they
look up into the heavens and see a rainbow? Wherever or whoever you are,
aren’t you “delighted” when you see this spectrum of color, “Somewhere
under the rainbow”?
That’s the image we begin with. It is God’s Colorful side we see. Not the
grey, grim, grumpy God who is so often portrayed in the Lenten season. And
then we hear Peter’s letter and the good news gets even better. “Christ died
once and for all for our sins.” Our redemption has already been gained. We
do not have to prove our righteousness but rather we are made “right”
through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We have already been yolked to
him through our baptism—and that’s no joke. Even the Gospel according to
Mark does not dwell on “temptations” as Matthew and Luke do, but the
forty days seem more of a “ spiritual fitness” program that will energize
Jesus for the Mission. Satan only gets a passing mention in Mark’s version.
Immediately before this passage, in that of the baptism, Jesus hears “you are
my beloved son, in you I am well pleased”. The spirit may be driving him
into the desert to strip away everything else that will distract him from those
words. You are my beloved, in whom I am well pleased.
We do live in a world that is very frightening at times. The “wild beasts” of
the world can threaten our inner peace. We have our fears that do paralyze
us. Lions and tigers and bears, Oh My. These are not simply illusory. You
only have to hear all the bad news that floods our world to know that God
may have made a covenant of love with the earth but the human race wants
no part of it. But still we live under the rainbow. God’s covenant of love
made in the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ is not an illusion. It is real. It is
the spectrum of light, love and life that is already ours through our baptism.
So what am I suggesting this morning? Surely not that we should forgo our
penitential practices for these 40 days? (…don’t call me Shirley). If that’s
what will bring you closer to Christ, go for it. Or maybe there are other ways
in which you can take his yolk upon you, his yolk which is easy and his
burden which is light. Maybe you can think of a High Five with God each
day, using the examen prayers you’ll find in the bulletin. Maybe you can
simply slow down, come to Taize prayer on Monday evenings, or the parish
retreat. Or get in touch with that person whom you really want to be in touch
with. Or find the outreach opportunity that you usually don’t have time for.
Or maybe you can think of the image of the rainbow, choosing one color for
each day and remind yourself that God says to you: “You are my beloved,
in whom I am well pleased.”