First Sunday in Lent – B

First Sunday in Lent – B

Years B
Genesis 9:8-17
Psalm 25:1-10
1 Peter 3:18-22
Mark 1:9-15

For many the radio stimulates the imagination more than does television. This is in part the way we receive the two senses. Mark's silence on the temptations brings more possibilities to mind than the traditional three in Matthew and Luke. Mark also reminds us that this was not Jesus and Satan, mano a mano, but Jesus was attended by angels even during temptation (not just to soothe afterward).

If so attended, what does this do to the hunger and jumping off temptations mentioned elsewhere?

A connection with angels connects us with time beyond ourselves (you may want to refresh your reading of some of Madeline L'Engle's supposed children's books - her Wrinkle in Time series).

If we are connected beyond one current time, we might begin to wonder about Christ suffering once and salvation through water (Noah and baptism) as singular events.

During Lent we may wonder about what it means to be a sign of reconciliation between G*D and creation. Whether that is a one-time sign or repeated, it is a lifting of soul - ours and many. One sign is not shying away from temptations that we might slyly defeat them through avoidance, getting overly busy with something else, or nit-picking the language of the temptation.

= = = = = = =

it has been said
we are built to buffer bad news
defense mechanisms are a gift from God

trying to make bad news Not True
requires a special attitude
this-isn't-happening-to-me

now comes an intriguing question
can even this situation be turned around?
facing it is a first step to saying Yes

[this prayer fragment is based on a bit of Unbinding the Gospel, pages 24-25]