Feb.22, 15^st, Sunday  Homily : Fr.Francis Chirackal CMI

Gen 9: 8-15; I Pt 3: 18-22; Mk 1: 12-151

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Antoine Yates lived in New York City in a multistoried apartment.  He brought home a two month-old tiger cub and later a young alligator. They were with him for two years — in his apartment. What was a little tiger cub became a 500 pound tiger, and the little alligator a frightening monster. The police got a distress call from Yates about a “dog” bite and when they got to the apartment building, they discovered Yates in the lobby with injuries to his right arm and leg. Someone alerted the police to the possibility a “wild animal” in his apartment. The police officer saw the tiger prowling around in a room. It took a contingent of officers at the door, and the use of a dart gun by a veterinary doctor to bring the tiger under control. When finally they entered the apartment, they found the tiger lying unconscious. A big alligator was nearby guarding his unconscious friend. His own wild pets tried to kill Yates. That is what happens to those who habitually entertain temptations in the form of evil thoughts, desires and evil actions.

The primary purpose of Lent is spiritual preparation for the celebration of Easter Sunday.  The Church tries to achieve this goal by leading her children to “repentance.” It is a type of conversion – the reordering of our priorities and the changing of our values, ideals and ambitions - through fasting, prayer and mortification as per gospel values.  Lenten observances are also intended to lead us to our annual solemn renewal of baptismal vows on Holy Saturday.

  Today’s first reading describes how Noah’s family was saved from the deluge waters by God’s special providence.  In the second reading Peter shows us how Noah’s episode prefigured baptism and how we are saved through the water of baptism which cleanses us of sin and makes us one with Christ.  In the gospel we are told how Jesus defeated the tempter and started proclaiming the God News. 

In his Lenten message Holy Father Pope Francis invites us to fight out the evil of ‘indifference’. Pope Francis' 2015 "Message for Lent" focuses on fighting indifference in all its manifestations in the Church — in the institutional Church, in parishes and dioceses, and in ourselves. Pope Francis emphasized the need for all Catholics to reach out to those in the peripheries, and to not become self-referential or self-centered. We become more like Christ, he said, by hearing the Word of God, receiving the sacraments, letting ourselves be touched by the love of the Father, and by uniting with others in prayer. We can overcome indifference, he added, by using Lent as an opportunity to form our hearts.

As He says, “indifference to our neighbour and to God also represents a real temptation for us Christians. Each year during Lent we need to hear once more the voice of the prophets who cry out and trouble our conscience. ...”

According to Holy Father Pope Francis, “Lent is a favourable time for letting Christ serve us so that we in turn may become more like him. This happens whenever we hear the word of God and receive the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. There we become what we receive: the Body of Christ. In this body there is no room for the indifference, which so often seems to possess our hearts. For whoever is of Christ, belongs to one body, and in him we cannot be indifferent to one another. "If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honoured, all the parts share its joy" (1 Cor 12:26)....”

Jesus’ temptations teach us why we are tempted and how we should conquer temptations.  God permits us to be tempted.  Why?  Here are the five reasons given by the Fathers of the Church: i) so that we can learn by experience that we are indeed stronger than the tempter; ii) to prevent us from becoming conceited over having God’s gifts; iii) that the devil may receive proof that we have completely renounced him; iv) that by the struggle we may become even stronger; and v) that we may realize how precious is the grace we have received.

Repenting and fighting against temptations and evil is a lifetime's task. May this Lenten season enable us to become empowered with the Spirit of God. God bless you.