We are in the first Sunday of the Lent.
The readings of this Sunday underline the message of the Lent:
orient the life towards the kingdom of God - towards a redeemed and peaceful life in union with God and the created world.
The first reading has the context of the great flood.
We know the world was not free from violence before the flood.
Still God remembers Noah. He is kind enough to save Noah and his children, as they were following the laws of life.
Now after this big catastrophe, which cleansed the earth, Yahweh is making a new covenant with Noah and his children.
And the covenant is not only for human beings, but it includes also the birds, and the various tame and wild animals.
Yes, we can say it embraces the whole universe. The whole living world is included in this promise - beginning from Noah to the present time of ours. It is an eternal covenant and it makes no division on colour or race or language.
God wills no violence but he extends a new era of new relations.
It is a compact and complete pact of peace.
Through this covenant God offers, when the humanity is ready for that, a peaceful life- both spiritual and earthly life...
The Gospel is mainly narrating on the life of Jesus in the Desert and his first proclamation in Galilee. Jesus reminds:" “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel.".
But the gospel is giving a short hint of a peaceful life Jesus, before his mission starts.
Jesus is not alone in the desert; but we hear that "He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him" and the Satan tested him.
We know it is not easy to live in such a world of rivals and challenges. Still we find Jesus conquering all these problems.
He could even win the evil spirit and his temptations.
This was a good preparation with regard to his public life, where he had to face all kinds of rivals and contras. And he remains the winner not only in the desert and in his mission in Palestine.
The victory of Jesus is not coming to an end here.
The first letter of Peter (second reading of this Sunday) reminds us,
Jesus is the winner over even the death.
He also went to preach to the spirits in prison writes Peter.
Lent is the time of victory. As Jesus won over the powers over him, we too are invited to profit the time of this lent.
This is a "desert time" for us.
This is the time to control our self.
This is the time to control the evil spirits in and around us-
A time to control and lead a serene life.
The extra ordinary message in this Sunday is that it does not avoid a peaceful and responsible behaviour even to the nature. The covenant of Yahweh in Genesis and the life of Jesus in the desert assert this special call in the beginning of this Lenten season. One can achieve a serene life only through in harmony with the Creator and creatures. By facing the difficulties one can learn lessons to conquer the problems in the life.
The Genesis gives Noah a new covenant and the rainbow becomes the sign of this bond. In New Testament Jesus incarnates as the living covenant of God.
He unites man and nature with God the Creator.
He is the new rainbow that connects the heaven with the earth.
The Lent starts with the exhortations of a peaceful union to the nature, as well as to other humans and God.
Let us make use of this time to attain a peaceful relation to our nature, to our fellow beings through these we ultimately reach God.
Let us live a life that can represent the kingdom of God and his covenant.
God bless us all. Amen!
-Fr Thomas Kalathil
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