GOD’S WAYS ARE FAITHFULNESS & LOVE
Happy 1st Sunday of Lent. Thank God for this springtime when we can change our hearts & lives in a true spirit of conversion & repentance.
The Liturgy today calls our attention to the Covenant between God & us. The 1st Reading from Genesis 9:8-15 speaks about the Covenant God made with Noah after the Flood. In the 2nd Reading from 1 Peter 3:18-22, we are reminded of the “water of our Baptism that saves us”, by our belief in the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ Our Lord.
God has declared in his Covenant that He will be our God & are to be His people. What a wonderful privilege we have – that by faith in Christ & by our Baptism, we become adopted sons & daughters of God & His very own people. And what is more, God is forever faithful to His Covenant. 2 Timothy 2:13 states this truth beautifully: “We may be unfaithful, but He remains faithful.” In the scriptures, God’s nature is described as abounding in Hesed, a word in Hebrew meaning unfailing, steadfast & faithful love, intricately related to God’s Covenant with His people.
In our Gospel today of Mark 1:12-15, we read of Jesus’ 40 day fast in the desert & His overcoming the temptations of the devil. He then begins His public ministry by calling on all to “Repent & believe the Good News.” (cf Mark 1:15) Jesus is inviting us again this season of Lent a deeper repentance & conversion of heart; to claim the Hesed of God – His saving & merciful love. He asks us to keep & commit to the Covenant we have with God. And He wants us to faithfully profess with our lips that He, Jesus, is Lord & believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead (cf Romans 10:9).
Our Response to the Responsorial Psalm this weekend in Psalm 25:10 is “Your ways, Lord, are faithfulness & love for those who keep your covenant.” Here, we sing of God’s faithful love to us. How else can we keep His Covenant? Can we live our baptism more authentically by being more intentional in our Lenten disciplines of Prayer, Fasting & Almsgiving? Can we show more care, understanding, patience & love to our family members, friends, co-workers & people in traffic? Are we able to surrender & trust God more in time of difficulties & our personal ‘temptations’ in the desert’?
In His 40 day fast in the desert, Jesus was led & strengthened by the Holy Spirit. May we too experience the power of the Holy Spirit in our Lenten journey as He leads us on the path of conversion. Here’s a beautiful hymn called “Led by the Spirit” to help us along.
https://youtu.be/C6KRhmCqvq8?si=vEBZUYOKsyByuWhd
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead