Scripture Mark 1:9-15
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee
and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw
heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my
Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
At once the Spirit sent him out into the
wilderness,
and he was in the wilderness forty days, being
tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended
him.
Jesus Announces
the Good News
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into
Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of
God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people
of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Let us pray:
Message God’s Loving Paths
Over the next six weeks, we will be immersed in the
Christian season of Lent. The name “lent” comes from an old German word for
Spring – lenzin. There is a
relationship between the old German word and the word “lengthen.” During these
40 days of Lent, it will feel like the days will be “lengthening” as the sun
sets later and later and we journey closer to the summer equinox. Despite the winter weather we are
experiencing today, the Lenten season occurs when the weather is gradually
warming up and the first hopeful signs of spring are appearing – blooming daffodils
and crocuses, budding trees and bushes, birds singing. The earth will warm up
and the outdoors will feel a bit more cheerful as we go through the weeks of
this season.
Jesus went straight
to the wilderness after his baptism. He must have felt a stark change of mood –
the baptism was probably the highlight of Jesus’ life. At the baptism, as Jesus
was coming out of the water, it seemed like the heavens were torn open and the
Holy Spirit poured out of the skies onto and into Jesus. Then, God’s voice rang
out announcing Jesus was God’s son, that God loved Jesus, and that God was
pleased with Jesus.
Mark says, “At
once the Spirit sent Jesus out into the wilderness.” So, as soon as God said he
was pleased with Jesus, Jesus was sent out into the wilderness. Jesus went from
the high of the baptismal event to the low of the desert temptation. After God
clarified for everyone God’s relationship with Jesus, Jesus was sent into the
unknown. God said that God loves Jesus, and then Jesus went off to be alone in the
wilderness with the wild animals, the angels and temptations.
We all have
experienced these strange mood-shifting moments in our lives. On the evening I graduated
from high school, I went to Denny’s afterwards to have ice cream with my
family. I remember running into some friends who were studying at the Denny’s–
it was weird to see people who had no idea why I was dressed up and in a good
mood – I was riding high on the good vibes of the graduation -- an
accomplishment for my young life – and it sort of broke the mood to have to
explain to them why I was so smiley.
Jesus went to the
wilderness to prepare for the work he was about to accomplish. He went to pray….to
meditate….to prepare. He knew he
would face trials. He knew his
message would be unpopular in some places. He knew he would always be
at risk. And, Jesus probably knew that
his life would eventually end in a tragic and brutal manner. So, Jesus went to
the wilderness to prepare for the tremendous work ahead of him.
Our lives are a
series of high moments, low moments, and a lot of days that are in-between. We
need those in-between days to catch our breath, to relax, and to prepare for both
the happy or rough events that will eventually occur. We never know what will
pop-up….and it helps to have a full tank of energy and compassion when
surprises occur. Our cars won’t drive when our gas tanks are empty. Our bodies
and brains can’t handle stressful events well if we are already exhausted when
they occur. We need to have those peaceful in-between moments to prepare for
the stresses that eventfully crop up.
Over the 40 days
of Lent, we are invited to slow down, say no to invitations, stop checking our
email and text messages every few minutes, and breathe. This is our opportunity
to rest and recover, to focus on prayer and meditation, and to relax. We need a
season to refuel our mental energy tanks so that we are prepared for future
stresses. The high and low moments will come, and in this season, we are called
to rest and prepare our hearts and minds for whatever they may be.
Amen.
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