Lent and Baptism

 

First Sunday of Lent

Year B

Genesis 9:8-15; Psalm 25:4-9; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15

Baptism … saves you now.
1 Peter 3:21

Do the readings for today seem a bit odd?  First we read about the covenant God made with Noah after the flood.  Then we read a cryptic passage from St. Peter about the souls in prison and the efficacy of Baptism.  Finally, we come to the Gospel where we expect to hear more about our Lord’s temptation in the desert, but that scene is barely scanned before we have our Lord preaching His first sermon.  What is going on?

First of all, let me say that we typically read about our Lord’s temptations on this First Sunday of Lent.  However, in the scheme of the Lectionary- which provides the readings for Mass- we focus on St. Mark’s Gospel in Year B.  That Gospel does not have a detailed account of our Lord’s temptation as that found in either St. Matthew or St. Luke.  Therefore, this is all there is.  But the Church in her wisdom has given us another insight into the ethos of this season we now call Lent.  Let’s explore.

It doesn’t require much investigation to discover that what the readings are keying on is the topic of Baptism.  Why is Baptism in view on the First Sunday of Lent?  Let me borrow from one of my favorite Church Fathers to help answer that question.

St. Justin Martyr was a convert to the Faith from paganism in the second century.  He was a philosopher.  But in his pursuit of truth he encountered the Christians and when he heard of Jesus he knew he had found that for which he had always been searching.  St. Justin recounts for us a part of the custom of the Church of his day regarding Baptism: “As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them,” [First Apology ch. 61].  St. Justin tells us that entrance into the Church was no mere formality.  There was a period of instruction and trial.  One needed not only to profess the faith, but demonstrate that they were living it.  Only then could they be baptized.  But there was a period of prayer and fasting that preceded it.  That period was likely only a couple of days back then.  But note that the entire church joined with those preparing for Baptism in their fasting.  This is the basis for what we now call Lent.

Lent is the preparation period for Easter.  But more specifically, it is the time of prayer, fasting, and preparation for those who are to be baptized and receive their initial sacraments.  Our praying and fasting should, in great part, be connected to being in solidarity with those preparing for entrance into the Church.  Therefore, today’s readings have Baptism in view to direct our attention to the fact that this is what our Lenten disciplines are all about.  But then this raises the question: why is Baptism so important?  What’s all the fuss about anyway?

Let’s take our first reading as a starting point.  We come in at the end of the story about the great flood that destroyed all life on earth except the 8 people and the animals in the ark.  The church, in its mystical tradition, has always seen this story as being about Baptism.  Those who were saved were those in the ark- those who believed God and obeyed Him.  The ark is seen as a type of the Church- it is the means Christ has given for the salvation of the world.  Through the Church the message of salvation is preached and the sacraments are administered.  Those in the ark were saved through water.  Water drowned and destroyed the ungodly elements and left only those in the ark.  In the same way our sins are drowned and destroyed in Baptism. 

St. Peter says that Baptism now saves us.  He goes on to say that it is not merely getting wet that matters, but rather that the interior disposition is transformed as intended.  But this all happens in Baptism.  Baptism does what it symbolizes; it washes, it renews, it brings new birth.  In Baptism our old life of sin is buried and we begin a new life in Christ.  We issue forth from the font as brand new babes in Christ, even if we were a lot older at the time.

It is with all this in mind that we come to the Gospel where we hear our Lord call to us all, “This is the time of fulfillment.  The kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel.”  Lent forms the time for repentance; the time to deal with sin and take the proper steps to put sin away out of our lives.  Easter will begin the time of faith; where those newborn in Baptism will begin their life of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  This is the time of fulfillment!

With all this in mind, what should we be doing during this holy season of Lent? 

First, let us recall our own Baptism and the vows we made, or that were made on our behalf.  We promised to renounce Satan, and all his works, which are all manner of sin, and all his empty promises, or the many ways that Satan makes sin look alluring.  We promised to turn our back on all those things.  Are we keeping these vows?  Are we avoiding all sin, and even the near occasion of sin?  Are we prone to take another drink, another look, or anything else that can potentially draw us back into the world of sin from which we were saved?  “Remember Lot’s wife,” our Lord told us.  “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of heaven.” 

Then we vowed to believe in God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Holy, Catholic Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.  Are we living in communion with God according to the teaching of His Church in view of death, judgment, and eternity?

Second, let’s renew our baptismal vows in heart.  Let us offer penance for our failures and thanksgiving for our victories. Allow this Lenten season to “reboot” you to what it was you were from the beginning- from Baptism.

Third, offer prayers and sacrifices for those preparing for their Easter sacraments.  Keep them front and center in your attention.

Finally, draw near to God.  What does He have for you in this 40 day journey?  Get alone with Him and ask Him that question.  Then listen for His answer.