{"id":2291,"date":"2015-02-18T17:26:35","date_gmt":"2015-02-18T17:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/?p=2291"},"modified":"2015-03-06T08:38:55","modified_gmt":"2015-03-06T08:38:55","slug":"commentary-on-1st-sunday-of-lent-b-22nd-feb-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/commentary-on-1st-sunday-of-lent-b-22nd-feb-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary on 1st Sunday of Lent (B) 22nd Feb 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

GOSPEL TEXT: Mk. 1: 12\u201315<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Wilderness Temptation<\/strong><\/p>\n

12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.<\/em><\/p>\n

Preaching the Gospel<\/strong><\/p>\n

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,<\/em><\/p>\n

Four\u2013point Message<\/strong><\/p>\n

15 and saying, \u201cThe time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

EXPLANATION: Mark 1: 12\u201315<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Introduction<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The two\u2013verse brevity of Mark\u2019s account of the temptation in the wilderness is so obvious. Matthew devotes eleven verses (Mt. 4: 1\u201311) and Luke thirteen (Lk. 4: 1\u201313) to describe the temptation.<\/p>\n

The purpose of Mark\u2019s Gospel is to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah or Anointed One and the Son of God. John the Baptist baptised Jesus and the heavens were opened with the Father proclaiming Jesus as his beloved Son and instructing us to listen to him. The Holy Spirit came down upon him and anointed him as Messiah (Mk. 1: 9\u201311). In today\u2019s passage we see the next stages in Jesus\u2019 life \u2014 his temptation (Mk. 1: 12\u201313), preaching and the central points of his message (Mk. 1: 15).<\/p>\n

Mk. 1: 13\u201314 formed part of the Sunday Gospel on Ordinary Time Sunday 03B.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Spirit<\/em>\u201d \u2014 In these first twelve verses of his Gospel Mark has referred to the Holy Spirit three times (Mk. 1: 8, 10, 12). In v. 8, John the Baptist compares his baptism with water which is a sign of purification and the baptism of Jesus which is with the Holy Spirit who gives new life. “By the baptism of the New Law, men are baptized inwardly by the Holy Spirit, and this is accomplished by God alone. But by the baptism of John the body alone was cleansed by the water” (St. Thomas Aquinas, “Summa Theologiae, III, q. 38, art. 2 ad 1). See Ac. 19: 2\u20137 where the disciples of John were re\u2013baptised by Paul because his baptism was not a life\u2013giving ceremony, not a Christian sacrament.<\/p>\n

In v. 10, Jesus saw the Holy Spirit descend on him in the form of a dove. He was aware of the Spirit\u2019s special presence in his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cimmediately<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Verses 9\u201311, which precede this current verse 12, describe the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Mark tells us that \u201cThe Spirit descended on him like a dove<\/em>\u201d (Mk. 1: 10). This is regarded as Jesus\u2019 anointing by the Holy Spirit from which he was called \u201cThe Anointed<\/em>\u201d or, same word in a different language, \u201cThe Messiah\u201d<\/em> or \u201cThe Christ<\/em>\u201d. This indicated that the person was installed in some office, in this case that of \u201cMessiah<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cImmediately<\/em>\u201d indicates that there is a necessary connection between baptism and temptation in the wilderness which will be mentioned in the following verse, 13.<\/p>\n

\u201cdrove him out into the wilderness.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 After he had descended on him at his baptism, the Holy Spirit\u2019s intention was to expose Jesus to testing by the devil, the most powerful tempter in existence. It was the Holy Spirit who initiated the temptation or testing. Mark is revealing that there is an essential connection between baptism and testing. All baptised Christians will experience that as they progress through life. Jesus obeyed the Holy Spirit and gave a perfect example of obedience to the will of God which he would continue throughout his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cand he was in the wilderness<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Our wilderness is not a desert but the world around us which has so many temptations for us.<\/p>\n

\u201cforty days,<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus, \u201cThe Christ<\/em>\u201d, was tested for a substantial period. \u201cForty days<\/em>\u201d is mentioned because of the symbolism of \u201cforty<\/em>\u201d. Israel was freed from the slavery of Egypt and wandered in a wilderness for forty years until they were formed into the Chosen People of God and then entered into the Holy Land.<\/p>\n

Moses spent forty days on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24: 18) and Elijah wandered in the wilderness for forty days until he came to Mt. Horeb (I Kgs. 19: 8, 15).<\/p>\n

During the first few hundred years of the Christian era \u201cforty<\/em>\u201d took on a different symbolism. The Early Church Fathers (writers) saw \u201cforty<\/em>\u201d, which is four by ten, as referring to the life\u2013time or history of the world. \u2018Four\u2019 stands for \u2018four corners of the world\u2019 and \u2018ten\u2019 for the Ten Commandments to be observed in the world. This type of patristic explanation is not popular now\u2013a\u2013days.<\/p>\n

\u201ctempted by Satan;<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Mark implies that Jesus was tempted for the entire forty days. Matthew and Luke say that the temptation was at the end of the forty days when Jesus was at his weakest. Both of these describe three temptations which Mark omits as he does to any reference of Jesus fasting.<\/p>\n

Matthew and Luke also state that Satan departed from Jesus. Mark does not say this because he understood that Jesus was tempted by evil and the devil all through his life until his death.<\/p>\n

By undergoing temptation Jesus teaches us that we also should not be afraid of being tested. Temptation reveals to us our limitations and our need to depend on God to overcome our weaknesses with his help.<\/p>\n

When Satan tempts he intends to lead the one tempted into sin. Many commentators on this Gospel prefer to use another English word \u201ctest\u201d which gives a positive outlook on what happens: how faithful is the one tested? Jesus was tested. Mark\u2019s Gospel is the story of many of his testings as satanic and human forces tried to overpower him. His supreme test would be his passion and death.<\/p>\n

By undergoing temptation Jesus teaches us that we should not be afraid of being tested also. Temptation reveals to us our limitations and our need to depend on God to overcome our weaknesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cand he was with the wild beasts;<\/em>\u201d \u2014 In the first creation (Genesis 1: 28) we are told that, before the Fall, God told Adam and Eve to have dominion over every living thing that moves on the earth. After the fall the \u201cwild beasts<\/em>\u201d in the wilderness were ferocious and absolutely dangerous. However, the wording in today\u2019s Gospel implies that as Jesus \u201cwas with them<\/em>\u201d their relationship was one of peace. He was inaugurating the second creation, our redemption which will bring about universal peace when our present phase is completed at the end of the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cand the angels ministered to him.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 We are not told how the angels ministered to Jesus. Like the temptations by the evil spirits which lasted all through Jesus public ministry, Mark wishes to let us know that the angels ministered to him during that same period.<\/p>\n

In the wilderness Jesus encountered Satan and other natural dangers. However, he was cared for by God\u2019s angels. Elijah too was nourished by an angel before he began his forty day journey (I Kgs. 19: 5\u20137). So also were the Israelites, being fed with manna and quails, during their wandering in the wilderness: Ex. 14: 19; 23: 20, 23; 32: 34; 33: 2; Ex. 14: 1, 9\u201320 (the pillar of cloud separating the Israelites and the hosts of Egypt); 23: 20\u201321 (the promise of a guardian angel), 23; 32: 34; 33: 1\u20133 (the angel driving out the residents in the Holy Land to make way for the Israelites).<\/p>\n

An obvious lesson from this scene is that we should never be worried about temptation. Just as God looked after Jesus, Elijah and the Israelites, so will he send his angels to protect and assist us in our temptations.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, \u201cThe time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNow after John was arrested<\/em>,\u201d \u2014 <\/em>Mark\u2019s Gospel opens with John the Baptist in the wilderness of Judea preaching \u201ca baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins<\/em>\u201d in the River Jordan. Among those who came to be baptised was Jesus. He also would baptise but with the Holy Spirit and not just with water like John (Mk. 1: 1\u20138).<\/p>\n

Jesus would be baptised by John who would refer to him as \u201cthe one who is coming after me<\/em>\u201d (Jn. 1: 26). That would be John\u2019s last public action before his arrest when he would leave the scene permanently. For Jesus this arrest would be an indication of God\u2019s will for him to commence his \u201cpreaching the Gospel of God<\/em>\u201d, knowing that a similar fate lay in wait for him. As early as the end of the first section of Mark\u2019s Gospel we read: \u201cThe Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him<\/em>\u201d (Mk. 3: 6). Apprehension or fear of the future did not deter him. \u201cThe Gospel of God<\/em>\u201d had to be preached.<\/p>\n

\u201cJesus came into Galilee,<\/em>\u201d \u2014 \u201cGalilee\u201d<\/em> is the northern section of Palestine, about 50 x 30 miles in size. Before and after the time of Jesus it was regarded as unimportant (Jn. 1: 45\u201346; 7: 45\u201352), by the Jews of Judea in the south of the Holy Land, largely because of the number of Gentiles or non\u2013Jews, who lived there. Herod the Great and Herod Antipas did rule there and are mentioned in the gospels. Jesus grew up in Nazareth; eleven of the apostles were Galileans, Judas Iscariot being the exception. Other towns in Galilee were Cana, Capernaum and Tiberias.<\/p>\n

This verse in Mark\u2019s Gospel shows us that Jesus \u201ccame into Galilee<\/em>\u201d from Nazareth (Mk. 1: 9). He would remain preaching until the beginning of chapter 10 on his journey to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

\u201cpreaching the gospel of God and saying<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This verse contains Jesus\u2019 first public words and, therefore, very important, his inauguration speech as it were. For Mark, \u201cpreaching the gospel of God<\/em>\u201d means the following four parts to this preaching that comes from God:<\/p>\n

(i) \u201cThe time is fulfilled,<\/em>\u201d \u2014 <\/em>There are two Greek words for this expression; one referring to human time and the other to God\u2019s directed time. It is God\u2019s directed time that is mentioned here by the Greek word. It is the good news \u201cof God<\/em>\u201d. It is the fulfilment of all the Old Testament prophecies. It is the fulfilment of time in God\u2019s plan.<\/p>\n

(ii) \u201cand the kingdom of God is at hand<\/em>\u201d; \u2014 <\/em>This is the first great theme, the core of the Gospel in Mark.<\/p>\n

In God\u2019s eye everything has been fulfilled and he is ready with his Son to bring the Kingdom from heaven into the world to be established there. The Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount with the beatitudes and the teaching of Jesus will be the great guidelines for those joining the Kingdom. This Kingdom of God was foretold in the Old Testament and for over 1,000 years the Israelites, especially through the prophets, looked forward to this coming. Simeon and Anna were two of the prophets mentioned in the New Testament (Lk. 2: 22\u201338). History is being fulfilled and a radical response is most important from each person now that the Kingdom is \u201cat hand<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

What is the kingdom of God? The word \u201ckingdom\u201d means something more than a territory or realm. It literally means \u201csovereignty\u201d, \u201creign\u201d or \u201ckingship\u201d. God\u2019s kingdom is universal and everlasting, a kingdom of glory, power, and splendour. In the Book of Daniel we are told that this kingdom is given to the Son of Man,<\/em> a Messianic title for God\u2019s anointed King. The New Testament word for \u201cMessiah\u201d is \u201cChrist\u201d which literally means the \u201cAnointed One\u201d or the \u201cAnointed King\u201d. The core of the gospel message is the good news of the kingdom of God. This is the central theme of Jesus\u2019 mission. God sent his Son to overthrow the kingdom of darkness and to bring us into the kingdom of his marvellous light<\/p>\n

God the Father\u2019s will was that he would raise up people who would share in his divine life and belong to the family of God. Through his death and resurrection he would accomplish the establishment of the Kingdom; through his apostles and disciples he would gather people around Christ the King: \u201cAnd I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.<\/em>\u201d (Jn. 12: 32). His special invitation to join him as disciples was extended to the poor and sinners, the two classes deemed unworthy by others. He showed his mercy to them but indicates in this verse conditions they must observe if they wish to accept. His special love for them is expressed in his death and in the joy there is in heaven when one of them converts.<\/p>\n

Jesus says that the \u201cKingdom of God is at hand<\/em>\u201d. It is not yet here. We are living in the time of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent into the world when he ascended into heaven. The Kingdom is under great attack from the devil at present and will remain so until the Second Coming of Jesus. Only at the end of time will the Kingdom come in its fulness.<\/p>\n

What is the relationship between the Kingdom and the Church? The Church is the seed and the beginning of the Kingdom. The Church already exists in the Kingdom. It entered the world in the person of Christ. It will be fulfilled at the end of time.<\/p>\n

(iii) \u201crepent,<\/em>\u201d \u2014 To repent (also called \u2018convert\u2019) and be converted is not an outward action but an interior one. It takes place in one\u2019s heart, one\u2019s mind. It is a radical change of view and acting. We refer to it as conversion of heart to God. It is primarily a turning towards something, the Kingdom of God, rather than a turning away from something. But of course we do turn away from sin which separates us from God and his Kingdom. One joins the Kingdom of God and becomes a disciple, a follower.<\/p>\n

(iv) \u201cand believe in the gospel.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This is the second great theme in Mark\u2019s Gospel. Whoever \u201cbelieves\u201d pledges oneself to what is believed. Faith is a person\u2019s response to God who reveals himself by deeds and words and gives himself to each so that each may respond to him, know him and love him way beyond one\u2019s capacity. Nothing can compare with Sacred Scripture: the unique speech or words of God, spoken or written by the Holy Spirit, in advancing listeners and readers in revelation, knowledge and love.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

APPLICATION<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

LENT<\/p>\n

\u201cLent\u201d is an Old English word that has been in existence for hundreds of years. It means spring<\/em>, the season of new life<\/em>. As a religious season this new life refers to divine life that we receive from Christ. He won it for us by his Paschal Mystery, that is his passion, death and resurrection. That is the purpose of the Paschal Mystery: having us share the life of God now and for eternity. For forty days we prepare for this Paschal Mystery by Lent and Holy Week. The Easter (resurrection) Season is a fifty day celebration with rejoicing that follows immediately. We can regard Lent and Easter as really one feast but looked at from different aspects or stages. Many people see Lent as a forty\u2013day retreat with Jesus whose divine life is the goal or reward they hope to attain<\/p>\n

When do people obtain this divine life? It is received initially through the sacrament of baptism, later through penance. Because of these two means of obtaining divine life, the Lenten season has that double character: baptism and penance<\/p>\n

With the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, the document on liturgy had this to say: \u201cThe season of Lent has a twofold character: primarily by recalling or preparing for baptism and by penance, it disposes the faithful, who more diligently hear the word of God and devote themselves to prayer, to celebrate the paschal mystery. This twofold character is to be brought into greater prominence both in the liturgy and by liturgical catechesis\u201d (Sacrosanctum Concilium<\/em>, 109).<\/p>\n

In our lives we link baptism with the Paschal Mystery by praising God for what he has done for us in redemption \u2014 he has given us his divine life. It is as a consequence of this that we daily die to sin and live for God. That is what Jesus did on Calvary: he overcame sin and showed his love and commitment to his Father.<\/p>\n

We follow the example of Jesus our Saviour. This is why penance must be a significant aspect of our commitment to \u201cbe one with Christ Jesus<\/em>\u201d. Hatred of sin as an offence against God is the very heart of repentance. Each act of penance is a sign that we are living the two\u2013fold aspect of the Paschal Mystery: dead to sin, living for God.<\/p>\n

One of the important aspects of Lent is that we do not act only as individuals. Lent makes our acts of penance social or communal. And like Jesus, we offer our penances for the sinners of the world that they too may repent and be saved. It is also important that we pray for their conversion. Lent is the perfect time for this.<\/p>\n

One of God\u2019s greatest gifts to those created by him was, and is, true freedom, a reflection of God\u2019s own nature which he shared with them. All rational creatures were made naturally good by him but by using their freedom some turned against God and became evil. One of these, the leader, we call \u201cSatan\u201d or the \u201cdevil\u201d. This sin of the fallen angels, the devils, was irrevocable. It was the total rejection of God.<\/p>\n

When Adam and Eve were created with this freedom, Satan approached them and enticed them to turn against God, their great friend with whom they enjoyed the Garden of Paradise. Since then their descendants have a wounded nature inclined to evil. In time God became man in Jesus Christ whose objective was to destroy the workings of the devils and restore fallen men and women to his family and love. Life for human beings now is a battlefield in which great effort and God\u2019s grace are so necessary.<\/p>\n

Lent is a wonderful opportunity for help in this. First, God sends his angels to help us in our battles. Second we can consider what beasts are in our lives, the particular faults, failings and weaknesses that could destroy us. The major problem for most people is that they do not take seriously the wilderness experience that Lent can be.<\/p>\n

On Ash Wednesday as he inaugurated the holy season of Lent, Pope Francis had this to say about prayer as our great aid in the wilderness experience:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first element [we need] is prayer. Prayer is the strength of the Christian and of every person who believes. In the weakness and frailty of our lives, we can turn to God with the confidence of children and enter into communion with him. In the face of so many wounds that hurt us and could harden our hearts, we are called to dive into the sea of prayer, which is the sea of God\u2019s boundless love, to taste his tenderness. Lent is a time of prayer, of more intense prayer, more prolonged, more assiduous, more able to take on the needs of the brethren; intercessory prayer, to intercede before God for the many situations of poverty and suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n

May you have a Blessed Lent?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GOSPEL TEXT: Mk. 1: 12\u201315 Wilderness Temptation 12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him. Preaching the Gospel 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2289,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2291"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2293,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291\/revisions\/2293"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}