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First Sunday in Lent Mk 1:12-15 |
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| Background: It is interesting to note how much more jejune Mark’s gospel about the fast and the temptation is when compared with the later Gospels. It is not unreasonable to think that the later gospels are theological embroidering on the older tradition. For St. Mark the theme of the story is the close link between the preparation in the desert and Jesus’s start of his preaching. He went forth to tell men and women that God’ love was near only after he prepared himself by focusing his energies on the work that was ahead. |
read the padre |
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Story: Once upon a time there was a husband and wife who grew up after Lenten fasting was abolished. They had never heard of such a thing till it was mentioned once in a study group at their parish. Those in the study group who remembered the fast said thank heaven we don’t have to do it any more. Those who did not remember said what a silly idea that was; thank heaven we never had to do it. Our friends said to the priest why did they fast. The priest said because Jesus did. Why did Jesus fast? They asked. To prepare himself for his mission. Oh, they said. The Moslems still do it, the priest said. Remember when Hakim couldn’t eat before a basketball game? But they can eat all they want for supper. You can’t lose much weight doing that our couple said. The priest agreed. Of course he said they have to give up marital love too. Our friends said no way we Catholics ever did that. Everyone laughed, some of them a bit uneasily. Our friends went home. What’s the big reason for not wanting to it any more, the wife said. Everyone fasts, the husband said, to lose weight, why not do it to strengthen our focus and give us religious reason for losing weight. Let’s, said the wife! But we won’t tell any of our friends, the husband said, because they’ll think we’re crazy for using religious faith to lose weight. |
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