1st Sunday of Lent
Gospel – Mark 1:12-15
“The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness, and he remained there for forty days, and was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild beasts, and the angels looked after him”. Jesus was led into the wilderness and there he remained for forty days. This is very significant and symbolic. The wilderness in the bible is a place of encounter with God. The People of God was accompanied by God in the wilderness and encountered God in the wilderness. They were in the desert for forty years. In those years, they were constantly tempted to betray the true God and they betrayed. The result of betrayal was destruction of themselves. In the Gospel, in the person of Jesus Christ, the new Israel is writing the New Testament. In the wilderness Jesus was in profound communion with God and he overcame the temptations as a man. In Jesus, the redemption is there. We are called to follow Jesus. In the desert, He was with wild beasts, but the angels looked after Him. This shows the assistance of grace in our life. In the wilderness of our spiritual journey, we will be with wild beasts but angels will take care of us. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to be in communion with God to over temptations in life.