First Sunday in Lent, 2024

Mark 1,9-14

Rev. Neli Miranda

 

The first Sunday in Lent brings us once again to the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel, which we have read during the Epiphany season. On the first Sunday after the Epiphany, we read about Jesus’ baptism, and on the fourth Sunday, we read about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. Besides these passages, today’s Gospel includes an important event in Jesus’ life: the testing or temptation in the wilderness. 

At his baptism in the Jordan River, Jesus saw the heavens torn apart and the divine presence descending upon him, and he heard God’d voice confirming him as the Beloved Son; so, he is ready to begin his ministry. However, just before Jesus starts his ministry, we find him in the wilderness. For the Israelites, the wilderness was considered a place of trial, learning, growing and reflection, a place to find oneself, to confront one’s fears, but especially, a place of encounter with God. 

Today, we read that immediately after his baptism, the divine presence drives Jesus out into the wilderness. The Greek word translated as “drive out” implies that Jesus is practically compelled by the Spirit to go into the wilderness; in short, he was thrown into the wilderness. Jesus experienced the pinnacle at the glorious epiphany in the Jordan River, so surely, he longed to begin his proclamation among the people. However, he is not first sent to the people, but is driven out into the wilderness, a time of isolation.  There, Jesus encounters God, but also experiences the power of darkness, Satan’s seductions. In biblical terms, Satan is God’s and believers’ adversary. Thus, while Jesus is in isolation and reflecting on his commitment to God, he must also confront Satan’s seductions, which tempt Jesus with attractive paths open at his feet. 

Mark does not describe Satan’s seductions, but Matthew and Luke do: Satan, the adversary and corrupter, seduces Jesus with political and religious power, riches, and fame. In a nutshell, Satan tempts Jesus with dominion and control over the people. But Jesus has already committed himself to the way of service and humility, the way of the cross!! He is confident of God’s powerful, glorious words he had heard at the Jordan River “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (1,11).  

Mark depicts Jesus’ struggle in the wilderness by saying that “Jesus was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him” (1,13). In the wilderness Jesus experiences the power of evil, danger, and violence; yet the angels, God’s messengers, serve him and care for him.  God’s children are never alone as they experience the wilderness, for the Epiphany is not only experienced at the mountaintop but also in the wilderness.

Thus, emerging victorious from the wilderness and having defeated the kingdom of evil, Jesus begins his proclamation announcing, “The Kingdom of God has come near” (1,15). His announcement is sealed and backed up by his great victory in the wilderness.

Dear sisters and brothers, we are now in the holy season of Lenten which every year drives us out into the wilderness. We come from the mountaintop, the great epiphany we experienced last Sunday when we heard God telling us “This is my son the beloved. Listen to him.” So, as we begin this new Lenten journey, we are compelled to go down the mountaintop and go into the wilderness for a time of reflection and contemplation. As we experience the wilderness, we must be aware of all the seductions we may encounter along the way. Perhaps during this time, while the Spirit compels us out into the wilderness, we may find that it is more tempting to indulge in empty, trivial activities than spend time in those that move us to the observance of a Holy Lent. Let us remember that our Book of Common Prayers provides us with some spiritual exercises we can practice during Lenten Season, such as self-examination and repentance, prayer, fasting and self-denial, and reading and meditating on God’s Holy Word. What other activities would you add?

So, today we are called to the wilderness, to a space of isolation, reflection, contemplation to find ourselves, to confront ourselves in relation to our discipleship, to be with our own wild beasts and defeat them, to reflect on our commitment to God. Will we emerge victorious from the wilderness like Jesus?  Listen to him!

This “annual meeting in the wilderness” illuminates not only our Lenten journey but our Christian journey. This experience reminds us of the daily seductions we face as Jesus’ disciples and encourages us to resist and defeat the evil powers that oppose God and try to separate us from God.

May we all listen to Jesus today. May we all feel compelled to go out into the wilderness. May we all feel secure that we are not alone as we walk through the wilderness. May we be victorious over the wild beasts, Satan and all the powers who oppose God in the world. May we all journey with confidence to Jerusalem in Jesus’ company.

Amen.