Lectionary Reflection — 18 February 2018, First Sunday in Lent
9-11At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You’re my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”
12-13At once, this same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by Satan. Wild animals were his companions, and angels took care of him.
14-15After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”
Other Readings:
~~~
~~~
~~~
In our Lectionary Reading today, we’re presented with a foundational text for the Lenten season — Jesus’ forty days and nights in the wilderness. This was a time of intense struggle and testing for Jesus. It could be said (and many people have said this) while Jesus’ whole life could be viewed as a test or temptation, those forty days were a focused time of temptation. The passage tells us that Jesus was “pushed” “at once” “out into the wild” by the Spirit right after his baptism. This is the same Spirit — God’s Spirit — that had just rested upon him like a dove. It’s now “pushing” him out into the wilderness.
I really like that The Message used the word, “pushing.” The Greek word is ἐκβάλλει (ekballei) and it contains the meaning of being “cast out, eject[ed] by force” (Mounce). Some other translations say the Spirit “drove” or “forced” Jesus into the wilderness. In other words, this wasn’t some gentle nudge by the Holy Spirit, a “still, small voice” directing him to go to the wild places. This was a forceful removal of Jesus to the wilderness.
Being driven by the Spirit wasn’t a pleasant experience for Jesus — it was painful. Likewise, we’re encouraged to fast during the Lenten season — 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday (in the West).2 Traditionally, fasting meant giving up meat and dairy. Today, though, people “fast” other things — chocolate or other sweets, alcohol, etc. Lately, I’ve seen people “fast” electronics (smartphones, computers, and T.V.’s) and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). But I think that the purpose of Lent and fasting is being missed when we “give up” other things like sweets or Facebook. The point of the Lenten season is to prepare us for meeting the Resurrected Jesus.
Now I can hear someone ask, “Don’t we meet the ‘Resurrected Jesus’ each Sunday, and especially when we take Communion?” Well, yes we do. However, like we saw with Jesus having a concentrated time of testing during his time in the wilderness (as opposed to a lifelong time of trials), the Lenten Season is a concentrated time of discipline for Jesus’ followers leading up to a time of refreshing during Holy Week.
That’s the experience for some people, anyway.
To say that we all make this transition, though, is unrealistic. And, to me, that’s what Lent is about — being real. It’s a time for inventorying one’s life, of seeing if (where) there are places for improvement. The goal of all followers of Jesus is theosis, of being in union with God in the fullest sense of the word. Lent is, for me, part of the path to that goal.
So what about fasting for Lent? What is it that God wants from us?
6-9“This is the kind of fast I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
Yahweh of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, Yahweh will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
Yahweh of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, Yahweh will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
9-12“If you get rid of unfair practices,
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I’ll always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places —
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I’ll always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places —
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.
This, dear readers, is where fasting leads us in this life. During this Lenten season, I’m taking an inventory of my life and comparing it to this passage. I already know I fall well short of being known as one “who can fix anything,” and I have a long way to go. But that’s the road I’m taking this, and every, Lent. Can I find someone to walk the road with me?
~~~
In the Love of the Three in One,
Br. Jack+, LC
~~~
1. Scripture quotations marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Comments