First Sunday Of Lent
Also Read: Mass Readings for 18 February 2024 Homily for 18 February 2024 – Sunday
First Reading: Genesis 9: 8-15
“I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” (11)
The first Sunday of Lent reminds us that God has made a covenant with Noah. God blesses Noah and all the living creatures that come out of the ark with him. God provides us with this covenant too! According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The Old Testament is an indispensable part of Sacred Scripture. Its books are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value, for the Old Covenant has never been revoked.” (CCC 121) Human beings will always carry a God-sized vacuum within us because we are created in the likeness of the creator himself. No other creature has the breath of God in them, the rest were all created by the word of his mouth. (Gen.1:20-25, Gen 2:7)
The CCC further states, “Being in the image of GOD the human individual possesses the dignity of a person,…capable of self-knowledge,…of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons. And he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead.” (CCC 357)
The ball is in our court now, we are free to choose life and God or otherwise. We are free to offer God, “…a response of faith and love…” We know God is faithful but how faithful are we? Attending Sunday mass and putting on a display of faithfulness; does not make us faithful! God knows our hearts, intentions, spirits, and thoughts! We can be quite like the Pharisees when we act out our faith for others to see!
Let us resolve to humbly accept our Saviour, cleanse ourselves, and respond to GOD’s Invitation, this Lent. In Jesus name, Amen!
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 25: 4-9
He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble his way. (9)
Amen!
Second Reading: First Peter 3: 18-22
And it was then that Christ went to preach to the imprisoned spirits. They were the generation who did not believe when GOD, in his great patience, delayed punishing the world while Noah was building the ark in which a small group of eight persons escaped through the water. (19-20)
Through the resurrection of Christ JESUS, God offered salvation even to those destroyed during the flood in Noah’s time. We today have the opportunity to ask GOD to reconcile us through the resurrection of Christ JESUS. In Jesus we have salvation.
Amen!
Gospel: Mark 1: 12-15
JESUS said, “The time has come, the kingdom of God is at hand. Change your ways and believe the Good News.” (15)
Prior to preaching the Good News, Christ was in the wilderness being tempted. “He was with the wild animals but angels ministered to him.” (13) We may find ourselves with the wild animals today, but we must remember that we not only have the angels but above all we have Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit as our advocate and help. Through the Resurrection of Christ, we have salvation and we can lead victorious lives.
We ought to turn our steps to the Lord in everything we do. Every choice of ours leads to victory in Christ Jesus. This lent let us ask the Lord for the gift of tongues and if we have already received it, let us pray in tongues more often. Praying in tongues edifies our spirit because it is the language of the Holy Spirit. We will receive insights and direction through the Holy Spirit when we humble ourselves in prayer.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
