Cycle B - Year I:  

21 February 2021; First Sunday of Lent

(Liturgical Color: Violet)

Readings:

First Reading:        Genesis 9:8-15

Second Reading:   1 Peter 3:18-22

Gospel:  Please Read  Mark 1:12-15

"To repent and to be free!"

Our journey of faith comes to a new phase as we are now in the Season of Lent.  The season began on Ash Wednesday, February 17 this year, with the symbolic distribution of blessed ashes on our head, and it will continue until the Mass of the Lord's Supper exclusive on Holy Thursday.  

Recall that it was almost at this time last year when the coronavirus pandemic began to strike the world.  And today we begin the Season of Lent as we enter the second year of this pandemic.

During Lent the liturgical color of the priest's vestment and the altar cloth changes to violet (that is, the 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' forty days of fasting in the desert written by the evangelist St. Mark.  There, Jesus was "tempted by Satan.  He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him." (Mk 1:13)

Then Jesus emerges from His forty days of temptation in the desert to start His public ministry.  After John the Baptist has been arrested, Jesus began His own testimony in Galilee, His home district.

Our Lord takes up from 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.  That is why, "to repent is to be free." After all, doesn't God already know our sins?  We never fool our omniscient God, that is for sure.  

Now, this pandemic forces us to change radically our lives.  We can use it more effectively during this Lenten Season to be more reflective and less active--meaning, to take the time to search our lives and our hearts for where we fall short and to yearn for our Savior.  Because Lent is the time of yearning and reflection.

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.  That is what our Lord Jesus Christ desires for each of us.

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

This Sunday is also National Migrants' Sunday.  Let us include in our prayers the millions of migrants and 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 here on earth.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!