Word to the Wise
Sunday, February 18, 2018 - 1st Sunday of Lent - B
[Gen 9:8-15; 1 Pet 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15]SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2018. FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT [Genesis 9:8-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-13] "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." This weekend, I begin the first of three straight parish missions in southern Florida! The "theme" for this first one is given in the lines quoted above from today's gospel scripture: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." It may seem a little "hokey" but I get the congregation to repent those three lines after me. Then I congratulate them on proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. I then challenge them to say those lines OUTSIDE the church building. This is what baptism is all about. Lent is about more than "giving up" something for 40 days. It is about asking ourselves what we do to proclaim the kingdom of God. Repentance is more than simply going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, important as that is. It means, as we were taught in catechism class, "a firm purpose of amendment!" As an old poster I once saw had it: "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" How might we proclaim the. Kingdom of God as being at hand? One really doesn't shout this in the frozen food section of the grocery store. Jesus actually gives us a pretty good program in Matthew 25:31-45: "When I was hungry, you gave me to eat......" If we "put skin on" our baptismal commitment, people will know the kingdom of God is at hand. If Lent helps us to get ride of a lethargic Christianity, we will do a lot for others. This beats giving up chocolate or martinis for 40 days anytime. AMEN
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