Cycle A - Year II:  

9 March 2014: 1st Sunday of Lent

(Liturgical color: Violet)

Matthew 4:1-11

Our Lenten journey begins.

This Sunday we begin a new liturgical journey in the Season of Lent. It actually began last Ash Wednesday, with the imposition of the blessed ashes on our forehead, and will continue until the Mass of the Lord's Supper exclusive on Holy Thursday. (Ordo 2014). The liturgical color changes to violet (lighter shade of violet to distinguish it from violet used for the Season of Advent).

The Gospel on the first Sunday of Lent is about the 40 days and 40 nights of fasting and praying of Jesus in the desert before the start of his mission of restoring mankind back to the Father. At the end of his fasting and praying, Jesus was tempted by the devil to set aside his humanity and disobey God's plan of redemption. But Jesus overcame Satan by declaring thus, "The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve."

In a very general sense, God tests his servants to see if they are fit to be used by Him. In the Old Testament God tested Abraham to prove his faith. The Israelites were sorely tested in Egypt before God delivered them from their enemies.

Temptations are a necessary part of our spiritual life. Though we know that God Himself tempts no one (see James 1.13), he sometimes allows us to be tempted by the devil, to remind us that we are weak, sinful creatures living under the sting of original sin.

The temptation of Jesus in the desert reminds us that Satan is very much active in our world, tempting us with power, wealth and fame to deceive and win our souls. When we are so much focused on building our material strength and treasures on earth, we sometimes neglect to charge our spiritual power.

In practical life, how can we overcome sin and temptation in our personal lives? Well, the Lord gives us his Holy Spirit to be our strength, guide and consoler in temptation and testing. Our Lord Jesus is ever ready to pour out his Spirit upon us so that we may have the strength and courage to resist sin and to reject the lies and deceits of our enemy, Satan.

I remember my professor-priest in Moral Theology who admonished us never to trust our moral capacity to resist sin and temptation. So his tip is that at the first sign of temptation, the best defense is to run away immediately. Because we are up against Satan, who was a  fallen angel and thus more powerful than us ordinary humans.

The Lenten Season invites us to journey with the Lord for forty days in the desert, to renew our lives through repentance and conversion. It is our fitting preparation to welcome Easter in our lives, and share in our Lord's Resurrection as well, with its promise of hope and new life with our Lord Jesus Christ.

A blessed Sunday to us all, and thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!