Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Feb. 19, 2024 (Lent 1B)

Jesus and the Tempter (c.1500), oil painting on panel by Juan de Flandes (c.1465-1519). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (Click image to enlarge.)

First Reading: Genesis 9:8-17

God makes a covenant with Noah, promising never again to destroy all human and animal life in a vast flood, and placing a rainbow in the sky as a vivid reminder of this agreement. As Lent begins, our Lectionary readings for the season start with this, the first in a series of covenants that God will make with leading figures in the Hebrew Bible’s ancestral stories. These are binding agreements between God and the people; agreements that the prophets will hold up as the standard by which the people must live in order to inherit the Kingdom.

Psalm: Psalm 25:1-9

This Psalm of praise, one of many that tradition attributes to the hand of King David himself, asks for deliverance and protection from enemies and scheming foes. This is a recurring plea in the Psalms, one that may reflect ancient Israel’s hard-won status as a tiny nation surrounded by foes. As we sing this Psalm, we express the joy of holding up our hearts and souls with willing trust in God’s compassion and love. Even in the face of triumphant enemies, the Psalmist sings of praise, not fear, and the hope of God’s faithfulness to those who have made covenant to follow God’s ways.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

In this short passage from the first letter of Peter, the author builds on the themes of the first reading and psalm. The author reminds the people that they are now saved in the water of baptism, just as Noah and his family were saved in a world covered by water. Both saving acts are the work of God, but baptism is no mere bath that washes away dirt. It is, rather, an appeal to God – like a covenant – that provides a new beginning through the resurrection of Jesus, who now sits at God’s right hand as lord of all creation.

Gospel: Mark 1:9-15

“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” How many times recently have we heard these booming words from above? We heard them in Mark’s account of Jesus’s baptism at the beginning of Advent and again at the beginning of Epiphany. We heard them again last Sunday at the Transfiguration. And now here we are again as Lent begins. As we move from the Incarnation toward the Cross and the empty tomb, we repeatedly remember God’s declaration. Now we move on from the baptism scene to hear of Jesus’s temptation in the desert. Then, in Galilee after Herod has arrested John, Jesus begins proclaiming the Gospel in Galilee: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Feb. 21, 2021

First Reading: Genesis 9:8-17

Lent has begun. In this liturgical season Christians are invited “to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.”

Jesus and the Tempter (c.1500), oil painting on panel by Juan de Flandes (c.1465-1519). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (Click image to enlarge.)

Our readings throughout the forty-day season often focus on these practices. Our First Readings will recall God’s covenants, binding agreements between God and the people that call us to love God and our neighbors. We begin this Sunday by hearing the covenant with Noah after the Flood, when God promised never again to send a flood to destroy all living creatures: a promise marked by a rainbow in the clouds.

Psalm: Psalm 25:1-9

Attributed by tradition to King David, this Psalm of praise expresses the joy of holding up our hearts and souls with willing trust in God’s everlasting compassion and love. Some of the Psalm’s language, calling for protection against humiliation by enemies and scheming foes, may reflect the hard-won status of a tiny nation. But its tone rings of praise, not fear; and at the end it recalls the people’s covenant to follow God’s ways.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

This passage from the First Letter of Peter follows on the themes of Sunday’s reading from Genesis and the Psalm. It reminds us that we are now saved in the water of baptism, just as Noah and his family were saved in a world covered by water. Both saving acts, we hear, are the work of God: We are saved through the resurrection of Jesus, who now sits at God’s right hand as lord of all creation.

Gospel: Mark 1:9-15

We heard part of this Gospel on the first Sunday after Epiphany. Now we return to it, and learn more, on the first Sunday of Lent: Jesus is baptized, and he sees the Holy Spirit coming down as a dove; he hears a voice from heaven declaring him God’s beloved son. Now we move quickly onward: First, the Spirit immediately drives Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days, where he is tempted by Satan and served by angels. Then we learn that John was arrested, so Jesus comes to Galilee to proclaim the good news of God: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent, and believe in the good news.”

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Feb. 18, 2018

Landschaft mit dem Dankopfer Noahs (“Landscape with Noah’s Thank Offering”), c. 1803. Oil painting by Joseph Anton Koch (1768-1839). Städel Museum, Frankfurt, Germany. (Click image to enlarge.)

During Lent, all Christians are invited “to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” Our readings throughout the 40 days of Lent will often focus on these practices. Our First Readings through the season will recall God’s covenants, binding agreements between God and God’s people that call us to love God and our neighbors. We begin with God’s covenant with Noah after the Flood, hearing God’s promise never again to send a flood to destroy all living creatures, a promise marked by a rainbow in the clouds.

Psalm: Psalm 25:1-9

This Psalm of praise, one of many that tradition attributes to King David himself, asks for deliverance and protection from enemies and scheming foes, a plea that may reflect Israel’s and Judah’s hard-won status as a tiny nation. As we sing this Psalm, we expresse the joy of holding up our hearts and souls with willing trust in God’s compassion and love. Even in the face of triumphant enemies, it sings of praise, not fear, and the hope of God’s faithfulness to those who have made covenant to follow God’s ways.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

Building on the themes of today’s Genesis reading and Psalm, the author of the first letter of Peter reminds us that we are now saved in the water of baptism, just as Noah and his family were saved in a world covered by water. Both saving acts are the work of God, but baptism is no mere bath that washes away dirt. It is rather an appeal to God, like a covenant, that gives us a new beginning through the resurrection of Jesus, who now sits at God’s right hand as lord of all creation.

Gospel: Mark 1:9-15

Yes, we did hear part of this same Gospel just a few weeks ago, on the first Sunday after Epiphany: Jesus is baptized, and then he sees the Holy Spirit coming down as a dove and he hears a voice from heaven declaring him God’s beloved son. Today we move quickly onward to hear much more in two quick paragraphs: First, the Spirit immediately drove Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days, where he was tempted by Satan and served by angels. Then we learn that John was arrested, so Jesus came to Galilee to proclaim the good news of God: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent, and believe in the good news.” The time is now. The kingdom is here.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Feb. 22, 2015

Noah and his sons view God’s rainbow in awe and wonder. From the Hebrew 6th century Vienna Genesis.

God makes a covenant with Noah, promising never again to destroy all human and animal life in a vast flood. This is the first in a series of covenants that God will make with Abraham and Moses: binding agreements that the prophets will hold up as the standard by which the people must live in order to inherit the Kingdom. Jesus, too, teaches God’s covenant as he calls us to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves, building God’s Kingdom on earth by forgiving each other as God forgives us.

Psalm: Psalm 25:1-9

Attributed by tradition to King David, this Psalm of praise expresses the joy of holding up our hearts and souls with willing trust in God’s everlasting compassion and love. Some of the Psalm’s language, calling for protection against humiliation by enemies and scheming foes, may reflect the hard-won status of a tiny nation. But its tone rings of praise, not fear; and at the end it recalls the people’s covenant to follow God’s ways.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

The author of the first letter of Peter neatly ties together today’s First Reading and Gospel. Just as Noah and his family were saved in a world covered by water, we are now saved in the water of baptism. Both saving acts are the work of God. We are saved through the resurrection of Jesus, who now sits at God’s right hand as lord of all creation.

Gospel: Mark 1:9-15

Does this reading seem familiar? Yes, we have heard the first verses of this Gospel recently, on the first Sunday of Epiphany: Jesus emerges from Jordan’s waters to see a dove and hear a voice declaring him God’s beloved son. Now we are told of Jesus’ temptation in the desert as Mark moves quickly to the main event: Jesus proclaims the good news that will take him to the Cross: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near.” The time is now. The kingdom is here. Repent – turn our lives toward Jesus’ way – and be ready.