During Lent our readings focus on our broken relationship with God and God’s promises, always kept. 

There is only one thing that comes between us and God: sin.  We are called to examine our lives, to acknowledge our sin, and to trust in God’s love and saving power.  We are invited to renew our baptismal promises to believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and in our Lord Jesus Christ, His only Son who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died and was buried, rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father; to believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.  We reject Satan and all his works and empty promises.

Throughout the Old Testament God entered into covenants, promises, between himself and mankind.  In our first reading today from the book of Genesis we witness the covenant made between God and Noah after the great flood that destroyed the earth and all living creatures except for Noah, his family and the animals they preserved on the ark.  God set a sign for us to represent that promise: a rainbow in the sky.  When clouds come and a rainbow appears in the sky God, and we, will remember his promise to never destroy the earth and all living creatures with flood again.  That promise has never been broken. 

In the Gospel according to Mark, Jesus is driven out into the desert by the Holy Spirit right after his baptism in the Jordon.  Jesus remained in the desert for 40 days. (note the 40 day parallel to our season of Lent) He was tempted by Satan to do what is wrong.  Jesus conquered the temptations set before him and immerged to begin his public ministry preaching the Gospel, the Good News of God.

Jesus has lived through the same trials and tribulations that every human being passes through daily.  Our baptism does not shield us from temptation, which is proven by the fact that right after Jesus is baptized he is driven out into the desert by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by Satan.  His victory is set before us as an example to bolster our own strength in resisting evil.  Jesus has shown us it can be done and we can fulfill our baptismal promises.  Sometimes people are literally driven by the Holy Spirit into temptation, as Jesus was driven without any choice in the matter.  That may be what is necessary to force us to reflect on those areas of our lives where we are in great need of God.  We should desire to remain in the desert with Jesus for those 40 days so that by the time we arrive at Easter we may celebrate our new life!  A life reborn out of death into life, our sins washed away in the blood of the Lamb, God’s everlasting covenant with us.

Have you joined Jesus in the desert?  What aspects of your life are you reflecting upon that need the presence of God in them?  Removing the barriers of sin from our lives brings us in closer communion with God.  To be able to cleanse your sins you must first acknowledge them in that desert.  Once acknowledged you can perform acts of contrition and confession which are excellent ways to cleanse ourselves of our sin.  There is nothing more freeing than being cleansed of our sin!  Owning our sins, acknowledging them before Jesus, asking for that forgiveness with a contrite heart can help us to never commit the same sins again resulting in having to confess them over and over.  God does not condemn us for our sins, we do when we fail to take responsibility for your sins and not seek the forgiveness that is there for the asking. 

The Psalm this week is Psalm 25: Your Ways O Lord.  Follow this link to a music sample and this link to a lead sheet.

Have a blessed Lent!  Remember that in the desert of our temptation there is help for us, too!