The readings this Sunday speak of Baptism. This is\nmost explicit in the second reading, where Baptism is characterized as \u201can\nappeal to God for a clear conscience\u201d (1 Pt. 3:21) and connected to the Great\nFlood (3:20\u201321). In the first reading we hear about the covenant made with Noah\nafter the Flood, and in the gospel, we see Jesus going out into the wilderness\nafter being baptized. Both the rains of the Flood and Jesus\u2019 time in the desert\nlast 40 days\u2014just like the Lenten fast. But what does Baptism have to do with\nLent?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One\nof the most obvious answers is that it is a time of preparation for Baptism for\nthose entering the Church. But Lent is closely connected to our own Baptism, no\nmatter how long ago we received this sacrament. Let\u2019s look at a couple aspects\nof Baptism and see how they relate to this Sunday\u2019s readings and to the Season\nof Lent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baptism\nis a cleansing<\/em>. It washes away sin, just as the Flood cleansed the earth\nof evil. But unless we are among the greatest of saints, we have sinned many\ntimes since our Baptism! Lent is a time to purify our souls once again, seeking\nGod\u2019s mercy in the sacrament of Reconciliation. It is a time of fasting, so as\nto detach ourselves from whatever leads us into sin and attach ourselves more\nfirmly to the Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baptism\nis also a sacrament of renewal<\/em> and new life<\/em>. More than simply\nwashing away our sins, it allows us to participate in the life of the Holy\nSpirit. This is what makes it possible for us to live lives of Christian\nvirtue. Lent is a time to renew our relationship with God and participate more\nfully in the life of the Trinity through prayer. It is also a time to renew our\nlove for our brothers and sisters in Christ through almsgiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally,\nin Baptism, we commit ourselves to our baptismal vows. We promise to renounce sin\nand Satan (as Jesus did when he resisted Satan\u2019s temptations in the desert). We\nprofess faith in God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In particular, we profess\nbelief in Christ\u2019s crucifixion, death, and burial, which we recall in a special\nway during Lent, and in His resurrection and ascension, which we look forward\nto celebrating at Easter. We also profess our faith in some of the key truths\nof our Faith, including the forgiveness of sins, which we seek especially\nduring Lent, and the resurrection of the body, which we await with hope,\nespecially as we look forward to the celebration of Jesus Christ\u2019s own\nresurrection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lent\nis a time for us to enter more deeply into the mystery of our Baptism, renewing\nand rediscovering the boundless graces that were given to us in that sacrament.\nIt is a time for us to recall our baptismal vows and seek to live them out more\nfully through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We will renew those vows at the\nEaster Vigil. As we embark on this Lenten journey, let us seek to prepare ourselves\nfor that moment, so that they may not be empty promises, but truly an\nexpression of our renewed commitment to Christ and His Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Andrew Sheedy<\/strong> \u2013 St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton, Alberta<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fot. Ryan Cheng\/Unsplash.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 1st Sunday of Lent<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2401,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,17,18],"tags":[229,231,98,111,230],"class_list":["post-2400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-strona-glowna-najnowsze","category-strona-glowna-slider","tag-andrew-sheedy","tag-baptism","tag-desert","tag-lent","tag-waters"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n