Second Sunday of Lent Genesis 17: 1-7; 15-16 Mark 8: 31 – endLast week I wrote about tying knots in handkerchiefs and watching rainbows in the skies. These were reminders about some important task to be done or of a duty to perform. Our memories are not always very good and a prompt helps, especially if we remember just what the prompt is telling us.In the reading from Genesis we read of how God reinforced his promise made to Abram. He had already confirmed his promise by the rainbow in the sky but here God is going one step further. If Abram leads a faultless and blameless life then he will be the father of nations. God will base his covenant through him, a covenant that will extend throughout generations.This addition to the original promise is exemplified through the change in Abram’s name. Initially Abram meant a high or exalted father. But in being renamed as Abraham, his new name meaning father of many nations, shows how God will work through him this extended covenant.Looking now at the Gospel reading we can understand how the disciples were feeling about the near future. God had made an everlasting covenant and yet here was Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of Man, making his way to his death in Jerusalem. This was something that the disciples could not believe. It is something that many people, even today, have great difficulty with. These feelings all came to a head when Peter tackled Jesus and protested in such a violent way.The words, “Get behind me, Satan!” might seem to be a bit over the top to us. But again, we need to understand the culture of the day. Jesus had just spent time in the wilderness, he was hungry, he had been tempted by the devil, and he was possibly feeling weakened by the ordeal. Peter, in his approach to Jesus, was putting into words the very temptations which Jesus had battled against. Peter was speaking as if the devil was speaking through him.The devil can be very cunning. Even today we have to watch out for him trying to act in our life. We can find ourselves in a tricky situation. We have a decision to make. One way out for us would be easy and, maybe, not exactly the best solution. On the other hand the way forward would incur great pain, and possibly loss. This latter path, when examined, would be the correct path even though a very painful path. A close friend comes to you and advises you to take the easier path. Why put yourself forward to pain and loss, trouble and unpopularity? You have a wife and family. It could be that the friend loves us so much that they wish to prevent us from heading into trouble, to play safe.It is terrible how the tempter sometimes speaks to us in the voice of a well-meaning friend. In this way the tempter is making the most terrible attack upon us that he can. In using the voice of one who loves us dearly the tempter strikes.This is what happened to Jesus all those years ago. This is why Jesus spoke so sternly to Peter. We need to listen out for the voice of God speaking out to us, speaking out above that pleading voice of love.Collect for the Second Sunday of LentAlmighty God,you show to those who are in error the light of your truth,that they may return to the way of righteousness:grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion,that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession,and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same;through our Lord Jesus Christ,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever.
First Sunday of Lent Genesis 9: 8-17 Mark 1: 9-15How often have you tied a knot in your handkerchief to act as a reminder. You pull it out of your pocket and then spend the next period of time racking your brains trying to remember what the reminder was about. Another good method which acts as a prompt for the memory is to put something so ridiculously out of place that it triggers a memory. Again, the problem remains of trying to recall what it was that you are trying to remember. You and I are not alone in employing something to act as a reminder for us. God also used a reminder. He set in the sky a rainbow. All he needs to do is look at the rainbow and remember the covenant, the promise, that he made to all of mankind through out all ages. But it was a promise made not to just us as humans, but to all animals, all birds.He set his bow in the clouds as a sign of that promise. The promise was that, never again, would a flood cover the earth, a flood that would destroy all living animals and humans. God would see the rainbow and remember his promise made to us all.It is reassuring to know that God has made such a promise to us all. To know that we are in his thoughts. That he will for ever care for us by not covering the face of the earth with floodwaters. Yes, we will still endure flooding but not on a universal scale. But to those who experienced flooding, the loss of property resulting, the in some cases total loss of everything that they own it may as well be the end of the world. But we have hope. When we look into the sky and see a rainbow, it is not the ‘pot of gold buried at its foot’ that we should try to find, but it is the memory of the promise made to us all by God. When we read the gospel reading we again have the reassurance from God of great things. A voice is heard proclaiming of Jesus, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased”. The ministry of Jesus is launched. The period of temptation in the wilderness begins. A period of temptation by Satan, of being surrounded by wild beasts, and cared for by angels.Following this Jesus came back into the community proclaiming the Good News of God. He came encouraging us to repent and to believe in the Good News.Twice we have been given reassurance from God that he cares for us. The rainbow we see in the heavens, stretching from field to field is the reminder of how God loves each one of us, and the baptism of Jesus where the voice from heaven announces Jesus as the Son of God, leading him onwards in his ministry.The rainbow is a wonderful sight and so full of colour. All of the colours we can hold in our palette as we stand in front of an empty canvas can be spread before us just as a rainbow in the sky. The empty canvas can be as our life ready to be laid before us. If we repent and believe we too will be led forward.Collect for the First Sunday of Lent.Almighty God,whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;and, as you know our weakness,so may we know your power to save;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever.
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