The True Guardian of the Galaxies Leads Us into and through Lent
First Sunday of Lent
Genesis 9:8–15 / Psalm 25:10 / 1 Peter 3:18–22 / Mark 1:12–15
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Reflecting on the Word
By Dr. Karla J. Bellinger
Out in the woods, I turn a corner. I stop suddenly. On the leaves in front of me, a red-tailed hawk is perched on the body of a squirrel. His beak snatches at its red flesh. The hawk’s black eyes stare at me. He goes back to picking at his meat, predator eating prey.
In the desert, Jesus was meat. How did he not get eaten by wolves in the Judean wilderness? Bears and lions roamed the hills. Jackals howled at nighttime. For forty days, by Mark’s account, the son of the carpenter dwelt among them. He was weak. He was exposed. He was vulnerable. He could have been picked to pieces. In that stark space—stripped of human support—the Savior of the world started his earthly ministry.
Lent is the season of the desert. We have forty days to ponder our vulnerability; wolves and hawks could eat us as well. We could be picked to pieces by the lions outside of ourselves or ripped to shreds by the jackals of our own minds and hearts. How are we to make it through this life? Is our own strength enough? In reality, in our emptiness, exposed and vulnerable, we are as defenseless as squirrels.
The Holy Spirit thrust Jesus into the immenseness of the desert. The Holy Spirits thrusts us into this season of penitence to recognize our need for God, to find God and to seek God. The goal of Lent is to strip away anything that keeps us from belonging to God alone.
The Creator of the universe is trustworthy. In today’s Genesis story, the Almighty creates a covenant of care for all creatures. In the wilderness story, the angels tend to Jesus. In our own littleness, we too are protected. Our God is vast and good, and yet remembers us. Under the divine wings, we find shelter. We will not be eaten.
Consider/Discuss
- This week, we enter into this Lenten season of repentance and self examination for conversion. Do we believe that God is our protector, that God will act on our behalf? As we look at the wild beasts of life, what makes us afraid? What happens when we turn to our own power to save?
- In the saga from Genesis, God works through the faithfulness of Noah to rescue a broken world. As we trust that God has this whole world in his hands, how are we being called to be both faithful and heroic this Lent? What is our part in making this world a better place?
Living and Praying with the Word
Jesus, Savior of the world, you know what the wilderness is like. You have been there. We also have days when we feel the hot sun beating down hard; we also fear the cries of wild animals in the night—they make us afraid. Strengthen our trust and help us to cling to you. Almighty God, show us that you are with us. Strip away our delusions of self-sufficiency and help us to be willing to serve you and you alone. Holy Spirit, grant us the courage of the desert this Lent.