"Oh, the wickedness of man is very great, since it surpasses the goodness of God." So said Villefort, the royal prosecutor who had a dark secret that he feared was about to come to light, in Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. When we feel that our sins are so great that even God could never forgive us, we need to remember the promise of the rainbow. The world had become filled with violence and evil, and, according to the story, God was sorry that he had ever made it. Yet despite his disgust at the state of the world, he saw something good in Noah and his family, and after delivering them, he promised never to destroy the earth again with a flood, the greatest natural disaster familiar to the people of the ancient Near East who first heard the story told. Although we often think of "Noah's Ark" as a children's story, in actuality it is a disturbing, violent tale of wanton destruction and divine judgment. However, it also speaks of miraculous deliverance and mercy. The God who punishes is also the God who saves. People today are in desperate need of salvation, but not in the sense of a heavenly fire insurance policy; they need to know that no matter what they've done, they can find love, forgiveness, and acceptance in the arms of God, manifested in the concern of those who have experienced the promise of the rainbow in their own lives.
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This acrostic psalm (i.e., each verse in sequence starts with the corresponding letter of the Hebrew alphabet; cf. Psalm 119) speaks frequently of traveling with God on life's journey: "lead me," "teach me your paths," "in the way," "his way," "all the paths of the Lord." The image of the journey reminds us first that life with God is a process, not merely a one-time decision. Second, there are many paths available to us, but we should choose to travel on those trails that God has already blazed for us. Third, to walk with God, we need to be like God, accepting his mercy and showing mercy to others. In the movie Castaway, Tom Hanks plays a characters stranded for years on an island, with only a volleyball for a "friend." The movie portrays both the triumphs of independent accomplishment and the difficulties of loneliness. The road of life is often filled with joy and companionship, but it's sometimes lonely and difficult. When our path gets hard, we can find comfort in God, who always walks with us, and as we travel, we should always keep our eyes open for others on the road who are in need of a friend to help them along the way.
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A small boat bobs on the surface of a limitless expanse of ocean, and its eight human occupants huddle together for warmth and to quell their fear. The themes of judgment and deliverance through the flood return in this passage from 1 Peter. The author compares God's deliverance of Noah's family through the flood with the salvation that is associated with the rite of baptism. The water that drowned so many inhabitants of the earth now supports the buoyant little vessel, along with its precious cargo. Water is often a symbol of chaos, but chaos is unable to swamp the little boat, which floats unharmed on the surface of the flood. Beginning with what may be a fragment of an early Christian hymn in verses 18-19, the author elaborates on the enigmatic story of Christ "preaching" to those in prison, presumably a reference to the dead. Although the traditional understanding of this passage involves an evangelistic mission to the underworld, the Greek word suggests a proclamation of victory rather than an announcement of the gospel (unlike today's reading from Mark 1:14-15). A few scholars have even conjectured an early corruption in the text, which would have originally had Enoch as the preacher to the people of Noah's generation. Regardless of the original wording or intent of the illustration, the main point of the passage is clear: God offers deliverance to those who will receive it.
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"Howard Roark laughed. He stood naked at the edge of a cliff. The lake lay far below him. . . . . He knew that the days ahead would be difficult. There were questions to be faced and a plan of action to be prepared. . . . . He stepped to the edge, raised his arms, and dived down into the sky below. . . . . For three years, ever since he had lived in Stanton, he had come here for his only relaxation, to swim, to rest, to think, to be alone and alive, whenever he could find one hour to spare, which had not been often. In his new freedom the first thing he had wanted to do was to come here, because he knew that he was coming for the last time." So begins Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead, the story of a man who was a true individual, unconcerned about how others thought he should live his life, determined to heed his own internal calling, no matter what. Jesus' entry onto the human stage in Mark is accomplished not by the miraculous, though passive, birth of a baby, but by the bold act of a decisive man. Like Howard Roark, Jesus leaves his past behind in order to pursue his calling. Like Roark, Jesus spends time alone in preparation for the task ahead. Unlike Roark, Jesus has great concern and compassion for people, and his life will be devoted to them rather than himself. In a world in which "looking out for number one" has been raised to an art form, we need to look again at the sacrificial life--not just death--of Jesus. He came to his people with a message of good news: God's kingdom awaits you; the only entrance requirement is to turn from your old ways and begin living like a citizen of that kingdom. Lent is a season of remembering, reflection, and repentance. Let us turn from our selfishness and pride as we once again walk with Jesus on his journey from baptism to passion, and ultimately to resurrection.
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