February 21: The First Sunday of Lent

The entire church throughout the world prays with the following readings on the First Sunday of Lent:

Genesis 9:8-15 Every time we see a rainbow we can thank God for such a lovely sign of our covenant with God. God gave that sign to Noah after the flood but many people these days see COVID as more devastating than a flood as they watch their loved ones die. We pray God's loving promises to sustain each one who is in anguish.  

Psalm 25: 4-9  We are privileged and humbled to learn God's ways, God's love, God's compassion, God's teaching, kindness, and guidance. We keep on learning as we teach our children and the young people in our parish, read scripture, use Assumption's library, participate in Lenten activities and ask God to enlighten us on each event and question we have. As a trained spiritual guide and companion I hear from young and not so young people requests for how to discern God's ways in scripture and in life.    

1 Peter 3:18-22  We appeal to God for a clear conscience and ask God to help us resist temptations to rationalize all that violates a well-formed moral and ethical code. We say we have a moral compass, but do we really? How is the world in which we live affected by our personal choices, i.e buying foods in single-use plastics and tolerating subsidies for fossil fuels?  

Mark 1:12-15  Can this Lent be our desert wherein we ask God what we need to repent of in order to deepen our belief in Jesus' life-changing ways? 
                                                                                                                                                        Blessings, Deni Mack, D.Min., Pastoral Associate Emerita