I Have Decided to Walk the Way - First Sunday of Lent

Recently travelling in Toronto I came across a sign posted outside a store that said, “Closed for remodelling.” That’s kind of why we have the Season of Lent. The Church gives us this season to take a step back and reflect where we are spiritually and what remodeling we need to make over the next six weeks to perhaps get back on track.

In today’s Gospel from Mark, we hear of Jesus going into the desert. That’s a hint for us that we need to go off our normal hectic routine and find some quiet where we can reflect on our own journey just like Jesus did and further develop a friendship with Him. Later, we hear the devil arrived to tempt Jesus. That may be a frequent occurrence for us, so one positive thing we should try this Lent is to identify our biggest temptation and put together a plan to conquer it. Believe me, a week is not long enough, but it’s a start.

The theme this Lenten Season is “The Way". Each week will offer another positive step we can take and come out of this season on Easter a remodelled disciple of Christ.

The Untouchables

The first reading and the Gospel contrast the old and new law. As we hear in Leviticus, lepers were considered outcasts. No one went near them, much less touch them. They were the “untouchables.” Jesus represents the new order of things. In today’s Gospel from Mark, he shows incredible love, compassion, and tenderness to those previously considered “dead” by the rest of society. The leper approaches Jesus (forbidden at the time) and Jesus touches him and heals him.

Who do we treat as “untouchable”? Those who are poor, homeless, in a different social class, not as intelligent, not as pretty? Who do we shun? The message today is the leper had great faith in approaching Jesus and asking to be cured. In touching the leper and curing him, Jesus is teaching us we are all his children; we are all “touchable” in his eyes—no differences are made because of

physical attributes or other afflictions. If we want to follow Jesus, we must treat others like he did so that loving our neighbor means loving the rest of humankind.

As we get ready for the Season of Lent, our Holy Father has written a wonderful Lenten Message. The Pope's Lenten call for the church to become "an island of mercy in the sea of indifference!" He reminds us that Lent is a time of renewal and invites us to “make our hearts firm.” It is a beautiful message and a great call for each of us. Give it a read – in fact root it into your prayer at some point this Lent.

Time for Prayer

Job’s assessment of a person’s life in the first reading is a real downer, but the description is one that most of us have experienced in life. We’ve worked hard, accumulated things, perhaps retired, and, at some point, life falls apart. Someone dies; someone gets seriously ill and we get to a point where we say to ourselves, “Is that all there is?” Job later admits his despair and his need for God. St Paul, in the second reading, is telling us he has a choice to spread the Gospel or not. He chooses to so that others may understand the Good News and continue the message. In St Mark’s Gospel, the disciples, just like Job, took their troubles to God in the person of Jesus. They brought those afflicted with many different diseases to Jesus for healing. They knew He would do something about it.

That’s the message for today. Regardless of what happens in our life, trying to solve challenges on our own only leads to despair. We should never give up hope and always take our troubles to the Lord. Take a lesson from Jesus in the Gospel. In spite of the chaos surrounding Jesus, He found time for prayer. Perhaps that might be our answer as well.

A New Authority

When the Scribes used to preach in the synagogues, they never spoke on their own authority. They always spoke using someone else’s authority. Now you could say that was because they didn’t want to take responsibility for their words or it was easier preaching by saying their words belonged to someone else. 

 We often do that in our own lives. We fail to stand up and declare our beliefs so we use someone else to “speak” our words. In the workplace, we’ll often hear, “The boss said to do this” rather than taking the responsibility or ownership for the words we are about to utter. It’s easier that way. Actually, even the prophets started their teachings with, “The Lord said…” 

 Today, however, we hear Jesus assume a new role when he speaks in His own name and commands the unclean spirit to come out of the man in the synagogue. At the same time, as the Gospels continue, we hear Jesus’s teachings often begin with “I say to you…” 

 Here’s what you have to love about this whole “new order”: Jesus took action when he needed to. He didn’t prevent every possible evil from happening, but He did act when necessary. Jesus acted, but did not overreact. Driving the demon out could have been a Hollywood movie for some, with 5 sequels, but not for Jesus. He just made the demon go away. 

When all was said and done, Jesus didn’t go out on a publicity tour and tell the crowds, “Look what I did.” That’s what it’s all about. It’s always easier to obey a person who deserves respect and authority versus a person who demands respect and authority because of a title. Jesus taught us the right way to do things!
 

Take a few moments to listen to our newest message series "Pursuit of Happiness" and to reflect upon it with the Heart to Home Small Group material for this series.