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1st Sunday Lent |
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Dear Preachers:
Ash Wednesday was a sobering reminder – those ugly ashes smeared on our foreheads, dusted our jackets and sweaters. We quickly brushed them off our chests. Maybe the ones on our foreheads lasted a bit longer. What a bleak reminder they were about our frailty; to put it bluntly, we all face a death sentence. We were born and we will have an end. There is no running away from our creatureliness. As we survey our successes, achievements and dominance, whether as individuals or a nation, we know they are ultimately limited. The grim reaper will come along and take us away and also those we love and all our projects. After a while our names will be forgotten. Not a cheery way to being a Sunday reflection! Those are morbid thoughts, aren’t they?
But we must face the truth about who we are so that we can live our lives with perspective, in other words, live our true lives. Genesis reminds us that if we acknowledge we are creatures of dust, we can also express our belief that the Eternal One has placed a life-giving breath in us. (“God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life....”) This breath orients us to God and calls us to follow God’s ways. If we haven’t been doing that, Lent is an opportunity to make necessary adjustments; in other words, to “reform.”
The gospel reminds us that during Lent we can look death, or anything that threatens our vocation to follow God, in the face and not be afraid, because Jesus has entered our desert experience and come out triumphant. He has preceded us into the place of temptation, the desert, and can help us get through our own deserts, the places where, like the Israelites, we wandered from the path. We do not have to be afraid, we are not alone and today at this Eucharist Jesus will feed us himself, the desert bread that gives us life. There is consolation for us this Lent, even as we cast a sober glance over our lives, because we have been given hope that Jesus has looked into our darkness, seen us there and has come to pull us out. As God rescued the Israelites in their wanderings, so God comes again searching us out, bringing us home.
John Kavanagh, SJ says that Lent is our Christian Yom Kippur, our time of critical self-evaluation. It is a time to think things over, to reconsider and to be more aware of our limitations, our mortality and our need. It is a time, in other words, to remember that our lives need to be and can be, transformed by grace. Once more, through Christ, God breathes into us a life-giving Spirit. This dust we are has its origins and destiny in God.
We have forty days ahead of us to make some choices. It is “focus time”– it’s like going for an eye exam and the optometrist places those adjustable lens over your eyes and keeps asking, “Is it clearer now? How about now?” We have forty days to choose more positive ways of looking and acting. The scriptures will be like the lens the optometrist places before our eyes. We didn’t think we had impaired vision, but then we were given a better lens and the blurred letters cleared up. So, it will be this Lent, as we listen to the scriptures and take them to heart, we will get our vision cleared. We will learn what Jesus taught us from the desert, “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” God wants to breathe new life into us again through the life-giving Word.
Baseball players are starting Spring training. They need this time to get ready for the opening of the season and the long season of games that will take them into the Fall and possibly into World Series contention. Without this preparation time they will get off to a poor start and not make it successfully through the season. Like these athletes, each year, year after year, we need Lent. We need a time to refocus. We need a time to renew our baptismal vows, our commitment to Christ and our profession of faith. We notice our sinfulness and our tepid responses to the gospel; but more, we look to the one who saves us. We are reminded during Lent that we can break away from sin by the enabling grace of God.
The reform in Lent is both for the individual and the community. Together, especially at these liturgies, we are called to a more attentive listening to and acting on the Word. As we listen, we become more deeply unified, we hear our family story and claim it as the one we want to believe in and live by. We could make it our Lenten practice then to be more attentive to these readings and even to prepare for liturgy by reading and reflecting on them in advance. (Most parishes list next Sunday’s readings in the bulletin – the preacher might refer to this.) The readings will discourage, even expose, our sin. But this not to laden us with guilt, as much as to denounce sin and proclaim God’s mercy. Thus, Lent is a joyful time when we become more deeply aware of God’s saving grace for us.
Be careful in the Genesis reading not to make too much of Eve’s first eating the fruit. Women have too long been portrayed in religion, literature and world cultures as the temptresses. The “Fall” from grace is our human story, not the fault of a first woman or man. In the Genesis account we are not hearing a factual “you-are-there” historical retelling. But we are hearing the truth – human beings have turned away from God. In the Genesis narrative we observe God lovingly creating humans, “by hand,” breathing the divine life into them and planting a lovely garden for them to enjoy. But they turned away from God – the human story to this day.
No one needed to tell us that, we know the personal and social effects of sin on humans, institutions and God’s own lovely garden–the natural world. We can’t blame Adam and Eve for something they did “back then” – rather, we must claim responsibility in our own time and place for the choices we make. “The devil made me do it,” is a lame excuse for what we have done or neglected to do. Like Adam and Eve we have a porous wall of resistance to sin’s allures, glamor and false promises.
Thankfully we have not been left on our own. The gospel shows us that Jesus had more power than sin. With him we can overcome what we have not been able to on our own. Jesus resists the temptation to take care of his hungers by multiplying bread. He also resists the temptation to draw crowds by spectacular wonders and miracles. God will provide him and us the food we really need, when we need it – our “daily bread.”
Jesus also resists the temptation to go through life on an easy ride; expecting no pain or harm to befall him. As the “beloved” shouldn’t he expect God to protect him? And, if we are loved by God, why must we suffer? Jesus doesn’t doubt God’s love for him, even when he “falls” into the hands of those who hate him and reject his message.
Jesus could have possessed the world with all its power and splendor. That would certainly have attracted multitudes to his message. But Jesus kept his eyes fixed on his God and would not sway from his calling as a servant, to become an earthly ruler. Through his strength we are made strong. Because of his clear-eyed vision we can see the difference between what is alluring – but passing and what has lasting value—and offers life.
Let’s come to the Eucharist today aware of our deep-down hunger for God, who gives us Jesus’ life for strength and his Spirit for guidance for our own particular wilderness struggle.
READER’S RESPONSE:
Just a note about Eve. Last time these readings appeared, one of your readers suggested that we need a new story because Eve was tempted as the weaker of the characters and that doesn't play very well today.
In fact, Eve is not the weaker character. She is the only creature not made directly from the dust - sort of a cloning operation by God through the use of a rib. (Hebrew: a cutlet!) According to the myth, she is the first person to discuss and to reflect and to answer a question on what God has said. She is the first Theologian!
Remember, that according to the myth, she was not yet "born" when God gives the command to Adam not to eat of the tree. And when the serpent asks "Are you not allowed to eat of ANY of the trees in the garden. (That all or nothing way of putting things that Puritans of both Protestant and Catholic stripe adore.) She corrects the snake, saying that there is but one tree that is in the center of the garden... and that we cannot eat it, nor even touch it, or else we will die! The addition of dying from touching the fruit or the tree has to have been made by the only person who was there when the law was given - unless the Lord gave the command again to Eve.
The serpent gives rationale why God would have lied - God didn't want them knowing right and wrong, because that would give them power and security. Also, God didn't want them to be as smart as God!
The woman gives three good reasons for eating the fruit.
Only then does she eat, and she gives her husband WHO IS WITH HER for the whole discussion - and he eats it without a single thought. Who is the weaker? When God asks where Adam is and what is this that he has done, it appears at first blush that the man is blaming the woman for giving him the food, but not so! "The woman YOU GAVE ME; she gave me some and I ate." Adam actually blames God for Adam's eating the fruit. So how strong is that? Eve blames the serpent for beguiling her - which the serpent did...
Rather us men thinking of ourselves as Adam in the story and asking women to think of themselves as Eve, let's all think of ourselves as Adam when we sit like bumps on logs, without reflection or listening or caring - and then fall for temptation. And let's think of ourselves as Eve when we are more scrupulous than God about the rules, or when we get suckered into a temptation scene pretending to be a theological discussion, or when we can think of at least 3 good "growth experience" reasons why we should do what God's voice is saying to avoid.
Rev. Dr Steve Wayles (1st Congregational UCC, Phoenix, AZ)
Click here for a link to this Sunday’s readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022226.cfm
Justice Bulletin Board Give me back the joy of your salvation —Psalm 51: 14
For many years now, Cathedral parish has generously supported the CRS Rice Bowl and, hopefully, this year you will continue to reach out and help our brothers and sisters around the world. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has a wonderful website that has stories of the people your donations help. It is a wonderful way to journey through Lent week by week. On the site, you can read the stories, watch the videos, find recipes, family activities and reflections. Welcome to CRS Rice Bowl
The following is a story of hope from Ghana.
One thousand days: From conception to a child’s second birthday, every day is vital for their development. But in rural Ghana, poverty prevents access to essential health and nutrition services, causing children to miss critical milestones. This can lead to serious health issues, academic struggles and limited job opportunities in adulthood.
To address this, Catholic Relief Services teamed up with the Sisters of Charity of St. Anne on a project in Walewale, Ghana, to help children up to 3 years old live happy and healthy lives by improving early childhood development. The project began more than four years ago when the sisters met with the chiefs and elders of the community about establishing a space at the Lady of Rocio Clinic to provide mothers and children with health education services and early childhood development activities. As part of the project, community volunteers were trained in skills like making early learning toys and starting savings and lending groups.
Georgina was one of the first volunteers and is now a lead mother in her community who trains female neighbors in what she has learned. A mother of three, Georgina brings two of her children to the space to learn how to make simple, inexpensive toys that engage children’s senses and stimulate learning and development. She says that her children are seeing the benefits. “They teach them how to count: one, two, three. ABCs,” Georgina says.
Early childhood development cannot stop at the walls of the center. Mothers must make play spaces at home for their children and volunteers must teach new mothers what they’ve learned so that this knowledge will spread and other children can thrive.
Help be the joy this world needs!
Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC
Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home. From today’s Gospel reading:
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the
desert
Reflection:
During Lent we can look death, or anything that threatens our vocation to follow God, in the face and not be afraid. Jesus has preceded us into the place of temptation, the desert, and can help us get through our own deserts, the places where, like the Israelites, we have wandered from the path.
So, we ask ourselves:
POSTCARDS TO DEATH-ROW INMATES
“One has to strongly affirm that condemnation to the death penalty is an inhuman measure that humiliates personal dignity, in whatever form it is carried out.” ---Pope Francis
Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each week I am posting in this space several inmates’ names and locations. I invite you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have not forgotten them; are praying for them and their families; or whatever personal encouragement you might like to give them. If the inmate responds, you might consider becoming pen pals.
Please write to: Tony Savalis Summers #0395658 (On death row since 3/22/2011) William Robinson #0694689 (12/9/11) Mario Mc Neil #0788387 (5/29/2013)
----Central Prison P.O. 247 Phoenix, MD 21131
For more information on the Catholic position on the death penalty go to the Catholic Mobilizing Network: http://catholicsmobilizing.org DONATIONS
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