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The two Bible readings for this first weekend of Lent are kind of schizophrenic, or at least bipolar. First, we hear in the Gospel about the desert, symbolized by that barren branch, lifeless and without water. Then we also hear about Noah and his Ark, and the flood. The desert reminds us that we begin now forty days of Lent where we're called to pull ourselves apart from routine and focus and reflect on the values and the wisdom in our life. The flood reminds us that the whole goal of Lent is to prepare for Easter, the baptismal water of Easter that floods our lives with the power of the death and rising of Jesus.

Of course, we can learn a lot from Noah and his story. Noah and his story tell us a great deal. For example, someone has written Everything I Need to Know About Life I Learned from Noah and the Ark. Number one: Don't miss the boat - it may be your last chance. Number two: Remember, we're all in the same boat! Even if we're uncomfortable with one another! You can imagine that Noah was fairly uncomfortable with the termites and the woodpeckers in his Ark. Number three: Plan ahead - it wasn't even raining when Noah built that Ark. Number four: Stay fit. You never know - when you're six hundred years old somebody might ask you to do something really, really important. Number five (and this is my favorite, especially today): When you're really stressed out, just float for a while, or take a cruise. (Laughter!) And, number six: Don't trust everything to the experts. Remember the Ark was built by amateurs. Skilled professionals built the Titanic! (More laughter!)

During Lent, we're inviting you to reflect together on what we call naming the darkness and seeking the light. And, certainly, Noah had the experience of the darkness, with the flood over the whole earth. We all have had experiences of darkness, and the question is: What do we do when we face devastation? Or, how do we behave when we've really, really been hurt? Our society and our country certainly know enough about darkness and devastation. September 11, with its terrorist attacks, left a big jagged hole in our faith in human nature. Left a big jagged hole in our sense of safety and security. Left a big jagged hole in that wall of civilization that we thought could constrain at least the worst of human behavior, but it has not. So we know about darkness and devastation.

The impending war of Iraq can also be labeled as a real darkness hanging over us. Some feel that war in Iraq is necessary, it's needed, and it's about time. And others feel it is horrendous, and we're nowhere near the last resort, and it will rather recruit terrorists all over the world instead of eliminating them. But, whichever side of the debate you're on, everyone has to agree it is a darkness that we face and that hangs over us.

Now Noah and his story have a lot to tell us for dealing with that kind of darkness, that kind of deluge that comes upon us. What was the first thing that Noah did when he got out of the Ark? He got out of the Ark, he looks around - the world's destroyed, everything is gone except himself, things are as bad as they can get. What's the first thing Noah did? The Bible tells us. He planted a vine, he made wine, and he got dead drunk. (Laughter) That's exactly what he did! He drank himself dead drunk. He numbed himself to the horror that he saw around him, and he wanted to just escape from it. What was the first thing God did? The first thing God did was establish a covenant and say, "Never again." And he gave Noah a set of rules to internalize and live by, the first of which was the life is precious. And the second is, human beings should not go around killing each other. That's what God did. God refused to let Noah and his offspring numb themselves into escapism. God really said you have to name the darkness and be willing to look at it.

But, at the same time, God refused to give license to live without moral boundaries just because the human race so far had failed miserably. There's wisdom there for our society and for each of us as individuals. After 9/11, I think we came to name the darkness, and not to numb ourselves. To say, we have got to defend ourselves and we have got to stop terrorism. But at the same time, just as God with Noah, we know that we can't do whatever we want because there's been a flood and all the bets are off. Rather we have to include a moral dimension to our decisions, and moral constraint upon our actions. Imposing just norms upon ourselves gives us the ability and the credibility to demand that the rest of the world follow just norms. To demand the same of the others in our world, that no matter how deep our hurt is, or no matter how terrible or tragic our grievance, it never entitles us to do anything we want, to anyone, anytime.

So exactly what do we do? That's where the legitimate debate lies. A high percentage of Americans and most elected officials feel that the best choice is war. Most of the world's population outside of the United States, and most Church and religious leaders feel that it is the wrong choice. Noah doesn't settle the debate. But, the story of Noah should help us to frame our questions as we make efforts to both name the darkness and seek the light.

The same thing works for our personal lives. Let me give you a few examples so that during Lent you might reflect on it and make it personal for yourselves. Here are three examples of facing the darkness but refusing to look to the light. The abuse in our Church, sexual abuse and the cover up by some of the hierarchy. That's a darkness we have to name. But, if we're not careful, what we do is turn our back on the light and say, "I'm not going to Church anymore," or "I'm never going to listen to Bishops, Church leaders, or Pope ever again". Rather, if we seek the light I think we have to be a people who judge what is truly bad and condemn it, and listen for and listen to and build up and support what is truly good in the Church.

Another example - what about working with and helping the poor? This is bound to happen to us sooner or later, maybe it's happened to you. You go to help the poor or a good project and it gets wasted. Or we find out that we were conned. Or we find out that there was a misuse of funds. Looking at the darkness and turning our back on the light would be to say, "No more handouts for me, no more help from me, I'm through with it". But seeking the light says to us, "We have to keep finding more effective ways, and wise ways, to show compassion and care that really works". Third and last example, and this one probably applies somewhere to the life of every one of us in this Church. Have been angered by someone, hurt by someone, betrayed by someone, misrepresented by someone. And my reaction is to say, "No second chances. Never again. No forgiveness." We need to name the darkness and hold people responsible. But, at the same time, if we seek the light, it means that we find ways to forgive and, at the same time, hold people accountable.

What to do after the flood when it hits your society or hits your life? Well, Noah's first reaction was to get dead drunk. The Church suggests something different, especially during Lent. It suggests to us that we sober up, and that we find ways to be responsible about our lives even as we hold others responsible for their lives. We have to find wise and practical ways to name the darkness and to seek the light. Amen.