One of the first Bible stories to capture my imagination as a child was the story of Noah and the Ark. I expect that I am not alone. Noah and the ark has all the elements that would appeal to children. It is an adventure story; it features animals as well as people; it has a happy ending; it helps explain phenomena in the sky; and, like most children’s stories, it has that “long ago and far away” vibe. However, the very elements that make this story appealing to children make it difficult to swallow for adults. It demands a massive suspension of disbelief. We are asked to believe that a man and his family were able to construct a massive waterproof ark in their backyard within a short period of time, while at the same time rounding up a huge menagerie of animals from all over the world (7 pairs of clean animals and 2 pairs of unclean) who would then all live together peacefully on this ark for several months. Yes, all things are possible for God; but Noah’s ark really pushes the envelope. In short, it is a story that we may easily file away in the back of our brain with other memories of childhood.

Recently I found myself reflecting on the story of Noah. I concluded that while some of its elements may not be entirely factual, it is most definitely a true story, for it contains spiritual truth for us at any stage of our life. In fact, Noah might make the perfect companion for our Lenten journey. Why do I say that?

First, when called by God, he acted. Noah was no youngster looking around for something to do. He had already raised a family. Like many of us when we reach a certain age, we presume that our life is set, that the great adventure of our life has already taken place. The Hebrew Scriptures, though, are filled with stories of people being called later in life to a whole new life. Abraham and Sara at an advanced age set off to a whole new land. Eli, who has largely been a failure as a religious leader of Israel and is going blind, takes on the role of mentor to young Samuel. Go to the New Testament and we find twelve apostles who had families and occupations and thought they were set in life until they met Jesus. God called them and they acted. What is God calling us to this Lent? We all know what needs to change in our life. We are probably not being called into ark building or to go anywhere for that matter. Yet we are being called to conversion this Lent. Have we acted on it like Noah, or have we just thought about it?

Second, while thousands of animals on a houseboat may be unrealistic, imagine that there were just a few. None of them were housebroken or potty trained. Noah had to walk through a lot of mature. Imagine the scoffing of neighbors as he prepared for his epic journey, the smells on the ark, the noises, the efforts to keep the peace. Being called to discipleship does not make our troubles disappear. Often it brings us more trouble, just as it did for Jesus. Seeing nothing but rain can be depressing; seeing all your possessions washed away causes grief. Yet, Noah persisted for forty days before seeing new life. If we persist for the forty days of lent, we too will see new life.

Third, the ark may have been a mess after forty days of use, but it is a vivid reminder that we are all in this together. The future of creation was encapsulated in that ark. Sometimes we forget about that. We feel little pain when wars drag on in other parts of the world and the destruction of people’s homes, possessions, and livelihood goes on day after day. The war dead become just statistics. Because the Midwest has not been directly challenged by climate change,  we may not take the heart the impact that it is happening all around us. Our Lenten sacrifices should not only be an exercise in self-discipline, but also a way of connecting with those who have no choice but to sacrifice. Lent should draw us closer to all humanity and make our own prayers for peace and the care of our planet more fervent. We really are on one little boat together.

Fourth, when Noah disembarked from the ark he offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving; and God made a new promise to the world. The dove that Noah sent off to explore the earth is often seen as a symbol of peace. The world got a fresh start. The peace that was present at creation was present once again. Sin and division, of course, continue to mar creation, but through our own Lenten journey we get to experience a new life at Easter, we get to make a fresh beginning, and hopefully that change in us will restore a bit of freshness to the earth. The habits of prayer, charity, and self-discipline should not end at Easter, but should become an integral part of our life  For Noah, the new life was not like the old life. Old patterns had been broken and the opportunity was there to develop new patterns. So it is with us. If we journey through Lent with Noah, we will find a new freedom to serve God and neighbor, no longer constrained by the compulsions of the past.

                                Fr. Joe