Cycle B - Year I:

22 February 2015: First Sunday of Lent

(Liturgical color: Violet)

Mark 1:12-15 

Repentance is freedom!

We begin a new liturgical journey called the Season of Lent this Sunday. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter Sunday. Actually, it already began on Ash Wednesday, February 18 this year, with the imposition of blessed ashes on our forehead, and will continue until the Mass of the Lord's Supper exclusive on Holy Thursday.

The liturgical color of the priest's vestment and the altar cloth changes to violet (that is, lighter shade of violet to distinguish it from the violet used during the Season of Advent.)

The Gospel reading for the first Sunday of Lent is the shorter version of Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the desert written by the evangelist Mark. There, Jesus was "tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him." (Mk 1:13)

The second part of the Gospel narrative is the start of Jesus' public ministry. After John the Baptist has been arrested, Jesus began his own testimony in Galilee, his home district.

Jesus takes up John's message of repentance and calls disciples to believe in the gospel: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mk 1:15) The word "gospel" literally means "good news" that Jesus has come to deliver.

What do we understand by "repentance"? Let us reflect on the word.

Repentance is always preceded by an acknowledgement of sinfulness. This is possible only by the virtue of humility to recognize that we are in need of God's mercy.

Repentance forces us to look at ourselves for who we really are and who we choose to become in the light of God's own perfection. We are sinful and imperfect creatures. The admission of guilt is always a challenge and never easy to do, but when we do so, the experience is liberating. After all, doesn't God already know our sins? We never fool our omniscient God, that is for sure.

The good news is that repentance frees us to receive God's graces to change our life's direction. Because when we are less full of ourselves and instead more filled with God's light and truth, then we begin to experience the freedom and glory of living as God's children. This is what our Lord Jesus Christ desires for each of us.

Let us pray that the spirit of repentance, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession, free us to love God more, especially during this Lenten pilgrimage.

The first Sunday of Lent is also National Migrants' Day. Let us include in our prayers the millions of overseas contract workers, especially our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and their families to remain faithful to our Lord and use their material blessings to be instrument of the Good News of God's kingdom on earth.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!