First Sunday of Lent
Daily Prayer
Almighty God, at Easter Vigil the Holy Mother Church celebrates the mystery of resurrected life and the symbol of the blessing of baptismal water. We are consecrated to You by our common baptism. May we who have been reborn through baptism reject sin and be ever more faithful to the Gospel. Make us one in the fullness of faith and keep us one in the fellowship of love. Amen
Scripture Readings
Genesis 9:8-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021824.cfm
Scripture Quote
1 Peter 3:20b-21b
God patiently waited in the days of Noah
during the building of the ark,
in which a few persons, eight in all,
were saved through water.
This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.
Reflection
From the beginning of Genesis, water and the Spirit are connected to God’s creative activities. In Genesis 1:2, we see the “Spirit of God” moving over the primordial waters at the very beginning of creation. Then at the height of the flood narrative, Genesis 8:1, those same words mark the recession of the flood: “God made a wind blow over the earth and the waters subsided.” The Hebrew word for “Spirit” is ruah, and it is used in both passages.
As Peter proclaims in the Second Reading, this connection between water and the Spirit continues from creation (Genesis 1:2) to the renewal of creation through the flood (Genesis 8:1) to our rebirth in the waters of Baptism. In this sacrament, we receive the new life of the Holy Spirit through the symbol of water. Just as God established a covenant with Noah, we enter into a new and everlasting covenant and are incorporated into the Body of Christ through the sacrament of Baptism.
Reflection Questions
Am I faithful to my baptismal promises and reject sin?
How can I resolve myself to resist temptation this Lent?
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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