This is a reflection on the Mass readings of the day.
“This is the time of fulfillment,” says Jesus. The fulfillment of what? A promise? What promise?
Today’s second reading can be seen as a sort of axis around which the first reading and gospel revolve. In it St. Peter reveals profound symbolism: The ark of Noah prefigures baptism.
Both involve salvation by water, he says. In the time of Noah, water cleansed the earth of sin. It was also destructive, however.
We cannot expect the impact of baptism to be any different as it cleanses, not the earth, but our souls. What does the spiritual “water”–sanctifying grace–destroy? If we allow that grace to act and facilitate it through prayer and regular reception of the other sacraments, it destroys our old selves, those carried along by the comfortable inertia current of our sinful tendencies. It destroys selfishness which, though evil, is sweet and cherished.
But the result is a profound, radical cleansing; the result is a new person, alike to a person bathing in clear, clean water after wallowing in a swamp.
God seals His promise never to flood the earth again with the sign of the rainbow. He will never have to wipe out humanity again. His Son comes to fulfill the post-flood promise by instituting a sacrament of water that does not need to wipe away the human person in order to wipe away sin.
This is the fulfillment Jesus came to bring. And Lent is the special time to take full advantage of the waters that poured over us at baptism by taking frequent and rich advantage of the cleansing sacraments, especially Penance, and practicing self-denial to uproot the deeper sources of sin in our lives.
Ideas for conversation with the Lord: Think of the day you were baptized as a small, helpless infant (or perhaps later, as a child or adult). Imagine the water pouring gently over you in the simplest of ceremonies. Consider the profound effect this sacrament has had in your life, by introducing you into friendship with Christ. Give thanks to God for this unmerited gift, and for those (for example, your parents) who had the insight and generosity to help ensure that you received it.
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