FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT B
DO YOU KNOW THIS COMPANION?
Mk 1: 12-15
MESSAGE
Did you too, observe in the Gospel that the Lord Jesus had a steadfast companion in the desert? No, it was not Satan, who persistently tempted Him. It was not the beasts roaming the wilderness, and not even the angels sent to serve the Lord during His fast and prayers. Jesus’ companion for forty days was the Holy Spirit! The Spirit supported, consoled, and strengthened Jesus in the midst of His trials. Throughout Jesus’ life, the Holy Spirit played a pivotal role, especially in crucial moments: His conception by the Virgin, His baptism by John, and even in His Resurrection (“He was brought to life in the Spirit.”) and descent into hell to visit the dead while He was in the tomb (“In it He also went to the spirits in prison,” see, 1 Pet. 3). In fact, there was never a moment when the Lord was without the presence of the Holy Spirit.
As we embark on another Lenten season today, armed with the desire for repentance and change, and resolutions for conversion and commitment to pious acts, what if, before all else, we turn to the Holy Spirit? What if, like Jesus, we open ourselves to this companion who will assist us in our fight against temptation and sustain us in our pursuit of holiness in these holy forty days and beyond?
REFLECT
Let’s commence this Lent with a prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, lead me to the desert to rediscover a deeper relationship with God the Father, Jesus His Son, and with You. With You in my heart, may I undergo true and lasting change, healing, renewal, and freedom from sin and all that lead me away from my Lord and God. Amen.
