I will recall the covenant between myself and you... the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

God spoke to Noah and his sons, 'See, I establish my Covenant with you, and with your descendants after you; also with every living creature to be found with you, birds, cattle and every wild beast with you: everything that came out of the ark, everything that lives on the earth. I establish my Covenant with you: no thing of flesh shall be swept away again by the waters of the flood. There shall be no flood to destroy the eath again.'
God said, 'Here is the sign of the Covenant I make between myself and you and every living creature with you for all generations: I set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the Covenant between me and the earth. When I gather the clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I will recall the Covenant between myself and you and every living creature of every kind. And so the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all things of flesh.'

This is the word of the Lord

Second Reading, A Reading from the letter of St Peter 1 Pet 3:18-22 

The water of the flood is a type of the baptism which saves you now.

Christ himself, innocent though he was, died once for sins, died for the guilty, to lead us to God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life, and, in the spirit, he went to preach to the spirits in prision. Now it was long ago, when Noah was still building that ark which saved only a small group of eight people 'by water', and when God was still waiting patiently, that these spirits refused to believe. That water is a type of the baptism which save you now, and which is not the washing off of physical dirt but a pledge made to God froma good conscience, who has entered heaven and is at God's right hand, now that he has made the angels and Dominations and Powers his subjects.

This is the word of the Lord

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark Mk 1:12-15
He was tempted by Satan, and the angels looked after him.

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness and he remained there for forty days, and was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild beasts, and the angels looked after him.
After John had arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. "The time has come' he said 'and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.'

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

HOMILY

GOSPEL REFLECTION

The New Creation

Lent bids us to return to the innocence of baptism. As Noah and his family were saved through the water of the deluge, we were saved through the waters of baptism, Peter reminds us in today's Epistle.
And God's covenant with Noah in today's First Reading marked the start of a new world. But it also prefigured a new and greater covenant between God and His creation (see Hosea 2:20' Isaiah 11:1-9).
We see that new covenant and that new creation begin in today's Gospel.
Jesus is portrayed as the new Adam-the beloved son of God (see Mark 1:11; Luke 3:38), living in harmony with wild beasts (see Genesis 2:19-20), being served by angels (see Ezekiel 28:12-14).
Like Adam, he too is tempted by the evil. But while Adam fell, giving reign to sin and death (see Romans 5:12-14, 17-20), Jesus is victorious.
This is the good news, the "gospel of God' that he proclaims. Through his death, resurrection, and enthornement at the right hand of the Father; the world is once again made God's kingdom.
In the waters of baptism, each of us entered the kingdom of his beloved Son (see Colossians 1:13-14). We were made children of God, new creations (see 2 Corithians 5:7; Galatians 4:3-7).
But like Jesus and Israel before him, we have passed through the baptismal waters only to be driven into the wilderness - a world filled with afflictions and tests of our faithfulness (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, 9, 13; Deuteronomy 8:2, 16).
We are led on this journey by Jesus. He is the Saviour - the way and the truth we sing of in today's Psalm (see John 14:6). He feeds us with the bread of angels (see Psalm 78:25; Wisdom 16:20), and cleanses our consciences inthe sacrament of reconciliation.
As we begin this holy season, let us renew our baptismal vows - to repent and believe the gospel.