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As the beginning of Lent, the
Sunday readings invite us to reflect on our covenant relationship with
God. The theme of covenant begins with the reading from Genesis. We hear
the story of God’s covenant with Noah and his descendants. A covenant
was a solemn promise. Its purpose was to bind the parties together and
make clear the responsibilities of each party to the other. In Jewish
tradition the covenant between Yahweh and his people established an
adoptive-kinship relationship. The Israelites became the children of
Yahweh.
In Peter’s first letter we are reminded that our covenant with God, like
Noah’s, was established through water. In our case the waters of baptism
brought us into kinship with God through Christ.
Mark’s gospel describes how the Holy Spirit drove Jesus out into the
desert. At the beginning of his ministry Jesus needed to sort things
out. This Lenten season is a time for us to sort things out in our
lives. We have three powerful tools to help us -- prayer, fasting and
alms-giving.
Prayer is essential to the covenant. It is our lifeline to God. Jesus
began his ministry in prayer and prayer was a part of every important
moment in his life. We need to pray. Let's be clear about this. God
doesn't need prayer, we do! Prayer puts us in contact with our center,
our source of life. Without prayer, we become out of synch with
ourselves, each other, our world, even God. Prayer is power. No green
thing can grow without sunlight. Similarly, we need contact with our God
in order to grow in spirit. We feed and clothe the body, we must nourish
the spirit as well.
Fasting reminds us that our appetites need to be controlled. Again the
issue involves being properly centered. Do we live to eat or do we eat
to live? In many people's lives things get completely out of control. We
get lonely or depressed. Perhaps we don't know how to deal with those
issues directly so we eat. We have similar out-of-control appetites for
alcohol, drugs, sex, even shopping. Fasting reminds us that we have a
responsibility to order our lives rightly.
Alms-giving reminds us that we are stewards. Everything we have comes to
us through God's graciousness. His gifts are not for us alone, they are
given for our good and the good of others. It’s not just about money. Do
we share a portion of our time, talent and treasure with those in need?
Alms-giving challenges us to take a look at how we steward all the gifts
God has entrusted to us.
This Lenten season is a special time of grace. Our catechumen and
candidates are in the final stages of preparation to enter full
communion with the Church. Our children are preparing for first
Eucharist and Confirmation, and all of us are invited to grow in our
relationship with God. May the Lord bless your efforts this Lent and
bring you to the Easter joy of the resurrection.
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