For
Sunday, February 18, 2018, 1st Sunday in Lent, Year B, Readings: Genesis 9:8-17, Psalm 25:1-9, 1 Peter 3:18-22,
Mark 1:19-15
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul, my God I put my trust in you...for You are the God of my salvation...All the paths of the LORD are love and faithfulness...[Psalm 25: 1a, 2b, 9a]
...in the days of Noah...in which a few, that is, eight persons were saved through water.
And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you... [1
Peter 3:20b-21a]
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan...And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan...and the angels waited on him...after John was arrested, Jesus came...saying...repent, and believe in the good news. [Mark 1:9,12-13, 14a, 15b]
From the receding waters of The Flood, to the baptismal waters of the Jordan, and on into the Judean wilderness, we journey this week through the various stages of God's continuing covenant through signs, symbols, and messengers.
God makes a covenant (promise) with Noah and his
sons and gives the rainbow as a sign by and for God as a reminder of that
promise to us all, God included. Who knew God needed a sticky note, just like
the rest of us? I always marvel at rainbows and even though I know rationally
it's just a refraction of light through micro water droplets, the fact that
a full spectrum of color appears gives me a more mystical experience and, at
the very least, I remember the story of the sign given to Noah.
If
we are feeling less than adequate in expressing our prayers, the Psalmist paves
the way and reminds us of all the ways we can ask God to help us, all the ways that God does help us and, that All the paths of the Lord are love and
faithfulness to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
The author of 1st Peter tells us that our baptism is an appeal to God for a good conscience - in effect, we do the promising this time - and it counts even if done by others on our behalf. We can also be baptized by desire, if we haven't been through the ceremonial waters, and make the promise for ourselves. After his own baptism by John, Jesus is driven into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted, later returning to fulfill his vocation to bring us to God. The season of Lent mirrors the 40 days of his experience.
The wilderness in our day can be anywhere that we feel lost and alone, isolated by others or even ourselves, or just plain unworthy, riddled with a sense of guilt for real or imagined sins. Lent is a designated opportunity to actively engage in a relationship with Jesus. By intentionally entering a sort of spiritual wilderness to repent (which actually means to turn toward God), we are able to examine our faith and to find ways to be more dedicated to God wherever we are in our life circumstances. It is a time to recognize and acknowledge all those earthly temptations, those temporal enticements, and everyday idols that distract us from our good intentions and draw us away from committing ourselves to a life more centered in Christ.
The author of 1st Peter tells us that our baptism is an appeal to God for a good conscience - in effect, we do the promising this time - and it counts even if done by others on our behalf. We can also be baptized by desire, if we haven't been through the ceremonial waters, and make the promise for ourselves. After his own baptism by John, Jesus is driven into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted, later returning to fulfill his vocation to bring us to God. The season of Lent mirrors the 40 days of his experience.
The wilderness in our day can be anywhere that we feel lost and alone, isolated by others or even ourselves, or just plain unworthy, riddled with a sense of guilt for real or imagined sins. Lent is a designated opportunity to actively engage in a relationship with Jesus. By intentionally entering a sort of spiritual wilderness to repent (which actually means to turn toward God), we are able to examine our faith and to find ways to be more dedicated to God wherever we are in our life circumstances. It is a time to recognize and acknowledge all those earthly temptations, those temporal enticements, and everyday idols that distract us from our good intentions and draw us away from committing ourselves to a life more centered in Christ.
We
need not take this journey alone, we can walk the path together through
individual and communal prayer, meditation, and reflection. Instead of
just giving up chocolate, alcohol, or smoking, let's take
on this wilderness journey together. Seek out and make a covenant with others for one-on-one discussions as prayer partners, or join a small group – start one yourself, there are
plenty of resources around. The partnership can be face-to-face, online in
real time or even through phone conversations, email or texts. Let us wait on each other as angels waited on
Jesus, in our own space, in our own time, yet together in Christ. I think I'll look for a rainbow colored sticky note for my mirror as a reminder of God's promise to all of us and the promises I've made to God, as well as those good intentions of mine that have wandered away in distractions. Time again to repent and believe in the good news.
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader:
~ O God of our
Salvation, awaken our senses to Your
eternal covenant that embraces the whole of Creation from the very ground we live
on, to all humankind, and every living creature. Turn us from the pursuit of
temporary pleasure to seek eternal life in the Spirit, through trust and faith
in You.
Gracious, Loving
RESPONSE:
We lift our souls to You
~ O God of our
Salvation, grant us the wisdom and willingness to speak with Christ’s voice to
every political leader on this Earth, in this Country, and in this Community;
and to stand with and encourage all who work diligently for justice, mercy, peace, and the health of all.
We pray especially for:
add your own petitions
Gracious, Loving
We lift our
souls to You
~
O God of our Salvation, ease the
struggle for all who suffer the pain of illness, isolation, or desperation; and
sustain the energy of those who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…
Gracious, Loving
We lift our
souls to You
~ O God of our
Salvation, even amidst the shadow of grief, we give praise and thanksgiving for those we love, who have now
risen in glory, and returned to life eternal in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Gracious, Loving
We lift our
souls to You
~ O God of our Salvation, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt
thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…
Gracious, Loving
We lift our
souls to You
~ O God of our
Salvation, whisper Your wisdom deep
into the hearts of all who seek Your Spirit within themselves, for the guidance
to draw us ever stronger into the community and communion in Your Church. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Gracious, Loving
We lift our
souls to You
The Celebrant adds: Living Lord of Love and Faithfulness, infuse us with the desire to use
this season of Lent as a time of our own spiritual wilderness for the
cleansing of our hearts and souls through repentance, the examination and expansion of our faith, and the renewal
of good conscience. We ask this through Christ, who suffered for the sins of us
all, and the Holy Spirit, the breath of You in our souls, who together with
You, reign as One God, over all Creation, forever and ever. Amen.
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