Homily Sixth Tuesday of Ordinary Time (Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5,10) “A Do Over”
Homily Sixth Tuesday of Ordinary Time (Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5,10) “A Do Over”
Somehow it seems appropriate that we read part of the story of Noah the day before Ash Wednesday. Noah’s story is read during the Lenten season because it is a story of sin and redemption. Really it is another creation story, or we could call it a re-creation story.
We read how the people of the earth became more and more wicked as time passed. God became upset with what he saw. He decided to push the reset button. I remember leading a Bible Study about Genesis when I was engaged in college ministry. One of the college students simplified things. He said, “God decided to flush.”
The waters of the flood can be a sign of Baptism. When we were baptized our sins were washed away. Every time we engage in the Sacrament of Reconciliation our sins are wiped away.
Lent is always a time to begin again. It always seems like our batteries are running low this time of year. They are really dying this year. We have had a year of pandemic. Now we have had weeks of snow. As I write this it looks like we will be shoveling out again tomorrow morning. We are running out of energy.
Lent is a time to recharge our spiritual batteries. How do we do that? We do it by engaging in the three penances of fasting, pray and charity. The next six weeks can be a time to lead a healthy lifestyle. It is a time to eat right. It is a time to find to engage in spiritual pursuits. And it is a time to pay attention to relationships and to try to make them better.
If we engage in all these activities, what better way is there to spend our time? We should be paying attention to these things all the time. When Easter comes, if we keep Lent well, we will be ready to start a new chapter in our life.
Reflection Questions,
- Was the God Noah encountered an angry God or a helpful God? Have there been moments in my life where I just needed to start over?
- What is my plan for Lent? Does it include fasting, prayer and charity?
Dear Parishioners,
Don’t forget Catholics have special penances that we do as a church this time of year. Tomorrow we abstain from meat. We do that all the Fridays of Lent. We also fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
This means that we do not eat between meals. We have one big meal, and the other two meals should not exceed the food at the main meal of the day. If someone has health problems or they are elderly or a young child, they do not have to keep this fast.
If we are young and healthy it might be good to try to keep a more stringent fast. When we do not eat heavily, we are more alert. Maybe God will speak to us in a special way. Many religions have fasting as a part of their rites of passage. May Lent be a rite of passage for us as we move from one phase of life to the next.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints pray for you.
Fr. Mark