First Sunday of Lent • Year C
In his world, as in ours, society was divided. Some were strongly committed to violence in opposing Rome, while others chose to collaborate with them to avoid conflict – peace at any price. Neither option embraced John’s words of reform and repentance, an unmistakable call for change and for people to transform their way of thinking. Jesus saw the need to take up the same mission, calling for repentance and renewed faithfulness to the covenant, aware of what John suffered.