Alberic Jacovone OSB
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YEAR B
1ST SUNDAY OF LENT - 5.3.06
Gen 9,8-15; 1Pet 3,18-22; Mk 1,12-15
Lent: a time driven by the Spirit
Into
the wilderness. Lent is a 40-day retreat into the 'wilderness'. For Lent each
year, we hope
to be 'driven into a desert experience, just as Jesus & the Baptist were, in
order to search for deeper meaning & harmony with God; but also to engage in
combat with the relentless forces of evil at work in & among us. In its
original Greek, Desert is 'Heremos' pointing to concepts like 'hermitage,
isolation, desolation etc.', concepts that from time immemorial have played a
significant role in religious experience, in all race, cultures & in
Christianity. Sooner or later, we feel driven by a special energy which is
generated by 'the monk -or the Nun-
in me'. At some times more than others, we sense that life is a battle for
survival, that we pass quickly & are in constant change: it feels life
living in a desert, where the awareness of being 'dust unto dust', brings its
own logic, mind-set & world-view. Inaccessible as it is, the desert is a
hostile environment, where survival is difficult. In the 'wilderness' it becomes
easy for the human heart to withdraw from traffic or busy-ness, & come face
to face with our inner-self & with God. Mark's Gospel opens stating that at
Jesus' time all sorts of people were driven to the 'wilderness of Judaea' to be
baptized by John the Baptist. A constant stream of people moving there, made it
look as if the entire region was restless, with the situation in which people
were caught in, & were in readiness to meet God, eager & longing for a
new order. It was at this time that Jesus himself came from the unknown village
of Nazarteth - & was baptized & a 'voice' from heaven proclaimed: 'You
are my beloved Son, in You I am well pleased'.
Driven
by the Spirit. Today's Gospel starts abruptly, giving only the end of a 5-point
lesson-plan on 'Wilderness'. Indeed it's Mark's first lesson, with 5 concentric
points:
1)
A 40 years preparation - 2) People were driven by the Spirit - 3) 'This is my
beloved Son!' -4) Jesus is driven by the Spirit - 5) A 40 days preparation. We
need to read the full lesson to appreciate the impact of the Holy Spirit in
Jesus' life & in us. Mark's Gospel uses the concept of 'wilderness', as a
symbol of a place where we can meet God, but also as a place for trial,
tribulation, tempting & testing. For the people of ancient Israel, the
'temptation' lasted through the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, which
in turn stands for all our life-time (See Num. 14,34). For Jesus & for us,
the 40 days 'in the wilderness' are a symbol of special time when we are driven
by the Spirit in our Mission
Mark
says: 'Coming out of the water,.. Jesus hears the 'voice' (You are mine!)...
& then the Spirit -immediately- drives
Him, - He is in the wilderness 40 days, tempted by Satan, is with wild beasts...
& Angels. Mark's concentric & abrupt style points to Jesus, who in his
humanity, needs an intense preparation for his mission, but it also points to
us, who need reminding that Jesus' "hidden years" in Nazareth had also
been an on-going preparation. It's the same Spirit that drives Jesus to Baptism
- that comes upon Him as a Dove - that immediately drives him out into the
wilderness. Mark uses the present tense (& not the past tense as we have in
our translations!), to impress on us that the same Jesus who was tempted in the
desert, is the one who is next to us, as we encounter our own tests &
trials, tribulations & temptations. As fully God but also as fully human, he
suffers for us & with us. He invites us to be strong in faith, & take up
Lent as a period of intense discipline, fasting & prayer... & this, not
just for our spiritual welfare, but also to
hurt with those who are oppressed, & with them to struggle for justice &
dignity.
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