"Shrove Tuesday"
Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10
When the Lord saw how great was man's wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil, he regreted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved. So the Lord said: "I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them." But Noah found favor with the Lord.
When I read the story of Noah and the great flood, I think of the song Rock Steady from the artist Sting. It's a jazzed-up lyrical interpretation of the Noah's ark story. (click here for a live performance)
Why does the Church read the story of Noah's ark the day before Lent starts? It reminds us of our sinful natures. For forty days and nights Noah and the animals sailed on the ark, protected by the rising waters. Life on the ark was far from comfortable. Imagine food and fresh water in short supply; long days with no sunlight; and the overall stench! Noah sacrificed those forty days trusting that the Lord will finally end the flood, and the earth will return normal. Despite the discomfort, he praised God and thanked him for his life and the life of his fellow creatures.
By contrast, during the forty days and nights of Lent we perform acts of penance in reparation for our sins. In many respects, this is a time for a flood of conversion and not a flood of destruction! Christ desires to heal us! God is no longer a revengeful disgruntled God like we read in the Old Testament. He is a God of immense love. He grants us infinite mercy when we acknowledge our smallness to His eternal greatness!
The Season of Lent is a time for us to take an inventory of our spiritual lives just like Noah "inventoried" the animals: the unclean versus the clean. Of course, more "clean" animals were allowed on the ark, but the unclean still had a place even if not prominent.....
Do we need to rid ourselves of bad habits and tendencies? Do we need to adopt habits of virtue?
God decided to destroy the earth by water because of the wickedness of man. Man didn't want to listen to God and follow his ways. He decided to do thing things in ways that suited his own thirst for lust, decadence, debauchery, idol worship, murder and mayhem! Scripture says our Lord's heart was greatly grieved; he felt sorry for ever creating man. So, he came up with a master plan to wipe out the earth, only saving Noah and a few chosen creatures.
Just think about: Jesus Christ didn't save only a few chosen creatures in male and female pairs. He saved ALL of mankind by dying on a tree! His five bloody wounds forever granted us eternal salvation.
As you gorge yourselves on pancakes, King cake, beer, wine, or whatever your chosen "poison" on this Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras, prepare yourself for a flood of conversion. This may be the Best Lent ever! During your time of fasting, prayer and almsgiving, the "ah ha!" moment may strike when you decide to completely turn your life around!
Saint Dominic, Pray for Us!!
-J.
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