First Sunday of Lent (Year B)

On the first Sunday of Lent, the Rite of Election is held in all Catholic churches. Roughly one and a half year ago, a group of catechumen began their journey of conversion. They attended instruction classes, took part in prayer or bible services, liturgies and activities held in the parish etc. to obtain a better understanding of the life as a Christian, a Catholic. They have entered their final stage of preparation in Lent. On Easter Eve, they will be baptized. I am sure many of them would be very excited because they are elected among millions of people to become a member of the redeemed community. They are redeemed and their names will be written in the Book of Life in heaven.
Today, Fr. Paul Tam from St. Jerome Parish in Tin Shui Wai came to celebrate the 11 a.m. mass with us. He was newly ordained last November but he is in his fifties. He was able to build up a rapport very quickly with us. Despite his age, he is as dynamic as any young priests. Instead of doing an exposition of the teachings in the bible passages read today, he zeroed in on the feelings of the catechumen. To kick-start his homily, he shared a bit of his vocation. When he was young, probably as a teenager, he heard God's call to serve Him as a priest. But he took 40 years to become a priest. He said that Jesus spent 40 days fasting and struggling against the temptations of Satan in the wilderness before he started his public ministry. Therefore, it is appropriate for him to undergo a 40-year search before he finally becomes a secular priest to serve God.
His perception is sharp. He noticed that today, the church was decorated for a wedding mass in the afternoon. The mood should be a joyful one. Then he seized on the idea and asked whether it was appropriate to be joyful in the season of Lent. He told us that if we counted carefully, we would discover that there are more than 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday. In between there are 5 Lent Sundays plus a Palm Sunday. In fact, the church does not fast on sundays. To many of us, it was news. He looked at us and found his answer in our broad smiles. When we are empowered by the strength of God, we will be joyful. But are we not supposed to lead a life of austerity in Lent, fasting, praying and giving alms? Truly, we should be fasting joyfully, praying joyfully and giving alms joyfully because we know that in doing so, we are going closer to God. Suddenly, the exhortation in Matthew becomes crystal clear.
And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:16-18).
Therefore, let us be joyful even in this season of austerity. We should be joyful because our God is near. The catechumen should be joyful because a new life will burst forth in them.
Today, we read of the story of God establishing a covenant with the survivors of the Great Deluge (Genesis 9:8-17). Mankind was contaminated by evils which would stay with us until the end of the world. In order to protect us against further contamination, God gave us support by establishing a covenant with mankind. In keeping this and future covenants, the morality of mankind is developed.
Peter's epistle explains to us, especially the catechumen, how the baptism they are about to receive saves us.
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21).
Baptism is effective in saving us because of the resurrection of Jesus. It does so not by removing the dirt from our body, but by removing the guilt and sins in our hearts, in our conscience. With a conscience free of sins, we may answer God confidently. The battle field is not in the wilderness. It is in our conscience. According to the Temptation Story in Mark, God sent angels to support Jesus in his fight against the temptations of Satan (Mark 1:13). Therefore, we have every confidence in withstanding temptations.

Dear Lord, with Your support, we can expect the experience this Lent to be a joyful one. Cheer us up on our journey. Amen.