Growing up in Philadelphia it was a common question among Catholics this time of year: “What are you giving up for Lent?” The typical answers were: candy, movies, dessert. Adults would also list: cigarettes, coffee, alcohol.
Some husbands would say with a smile: “my wife’s cooking”. And the less pious among us would say they’re giving up going to Mass on Sundays.
It is in the readings for our Lenten liturgies that the Church tells us what we should be doing in Lent – what expectations we should have of this season. So, on this first Sunday of Lent, as we are beginning this season of grace, let us ask ourselves: “What should we be doing in Lent?” And let’s see how the Church would help us answer that question.
Our first reading from the book of Genesis recalls the story of Noah and the flood. Specifically we recall that wonderful scene where God points to the rainbow as the sign of the covenant. The rainbow, spanning heaven and earth, is to remind us how heaven and earth – how God and man are linked together. The rainbow tells us we are linked – bonded to God, and God is linked – bonded to us.
Christians use the sign and symbol of the rainbow and apply it to Jesus. Jesus is our rainbow – our sign of the covenant – telling us how we are related and joined to God. Our reading from the gospel of Mark talks about Jesus being tempted in the desert by Satan. And that speaks to us about our relationship with God. Jesus was tempted – so are we. Our relationship with God will be tempestuous – with ups and downs – with times full of doubts and struggles. Jesus was tempted – so are we.
Just think and reflect on this. Just as no doubt, no struggle, no temptation could in any way make Jesus less beloved by the Father – less a Son to the Father, just so with us. Our doubts, struggles and temptations cannot make us in any way less beloved by God our Father. In fact, they only call forth his compassion and care for us.
The reading from the first letter of Peter brings together what we heard in Genesis and the Gospel of Mark. Jesus – our rainbow – Jesus who shows us how we are joined to God and God is joined to us – this Jesus, Peter tells us, descends into hell.
Jesus’ descent into hell. It is an article of faith in the Apostles’ Creed. Hell is where God is not. In his book on the Apostles Creed, Introduction to Christianity, then Cardinal Ratzinger and now Pope Benedict XVI describes hell as that human loneliness where not even love can penetrate. And what Jesus’ descent into hell wants to tell us is that there is no such loneliness. There is no human place – no human situation – no human shut-up-ness – no human isolation that Jesus’ love cannot and does not penetrate.
The early Anglo-Saxon Christians spoke of Jesus’ descent into hell as his Harrowing of Hell. Harrow means to break apart and destroy. Jesus breaks apart Satan’s special preserve – [that’s] our imagined impenetrability to God’s presence and love. Jesus destroys and pillages hell; he empties us of our hells.
And that is how it is between God and us. That is what the rainbow – what Jesus tells us. There can be no separation between us and God except in our own contorted and twisted imagination.
So, what are you going to give up for Lent? What should you be doing in Lent? The Church’s answer is clear: Give up hell! Get real and give up hell!
Some husbands would say with a smile: “my wife’s cooking”. And the less pious among us would say they’re giving up going to Mass on Sundays.
It is in the readings for our Lenten liturgies that the Church tells us what we should be doing in Lent – what expectations we should have of this season. So, on this first Sunday of Lent, as we are beginning this season of grace, let us ask ourselves: “What should we be doing in Lent?” And let’s see how the Church would help us answer that question.
Our first reading from the book of Genesis recalls the story of Noah and the flood. Specifically we recall that wonderful scene where God points to the rainbow as the sign of the covenant. The rainbow, spanning heaven and earth, is to remind us how heaven and earth – how God and man are linked together. The rainbow tells us we are linked – bonded to God, and God is linked – bonded to us.
Christians use the sign and symbol of the rainbow and apply it to Jesus. Jesus is our rainbow – our sign of the covenant – telling us how we are related and joined to God. Our reading from the gospel of Mark talks about Jesus being tempted in the desert by Satan. And that speaks to us about our relationship with God. Jesus was tempted – so are we. Our relationship with God will be tempestuous – with ups and downs – with times full of doubts and struggles. Jesus was tempted – so are we.
Just think and reflect on this. Just as no doubt, no struggle, no temptation could in any way make Jesus less beloved by the Father – less a Son to the Father, just so with us. Our doubts, struggles and temptations cannot make us in any way less beloved by God our Father. In fact, they only call forth his compassion and care for us.
The reading from the first letter of Peter brings together what we heard in Genesis and the Gospel of Mark. Jesus – our rainbow – Jesus who shows us how we are joined to God and God is joined to us – this Jesus, Peter tells us, descends into hell.
Jesus’ descent into hell. It is an article of faith in the Apostles’ Creed. Hell is where God is not. In his book on the Apostles Creed, Introduction to Christianity, then Cardinal Ratzinger and now Pope Benedict XVI describes hell as that human loneliness where not even love can penetrate. And what Jesus’ descent into hell wants to tell us is that there is no such loneliness. There is no human place – no human situation – no human shut-up-ness – no human isolation that Jesus’ love cannot and does not penetrate.
The early Anglo-Saxon Christians spoke of Jesus’ descent into hell as his Harrowing of Hell. Harrow means to break apart and destroy. Jesus breaks apart Satan’s special preserve – [that’s] our imagined impenetrability to God’s presence and love. Jesus destroys and pillages hell; he empties us of our hells.
And that is how it is between God and us. That is what the rainbow – what Jesus tells us. There can be no separation between us and God except in our own contorted and twisted imagination.
So, what are you going to give up for Lent? What should you be doing in Lent? The Church’s answer is clear: Give up hell! Get real and give up hell!
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