Cycle A - Year I:  

26 February 2023: First Sunday of Lent 

(Liturgical Color: Violet)

Readings:

First Reading:        Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7

Second Reading:   Romans 5:12-19 (or 5:12, 17-19)

Gospel:  Please Read  Matthew 4:1-11 

Resist temptation with prayers!

The Lenten Season invites us to journey with our Lord Jesus Christ for forty days in the desert, to renew our lives through repentance and conversion. This is a 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.

St. Matthew writes about the story of temptation of Jesus in the form of dialogue between our Lord Jesus and the devil, which makes use of quotations from the Book of Deuteronomy. Jesus was fasting and praying in the desert before the start of His public ministry. At the end of this fasting and praying, Jesus was tempted by the devil who tried to convince Him to set aside His humanity and disobey God's plan of our redemption.  At the end of the story, Jesus overcame satan's temptation by declaring to him, thus: "The Lord, your God, shall you worship and Him alone shall you serve."  (Mt 4:10)

Temptation, by definition, is something that appeals to us. In our times, we also face our own temptations. In a way, temptations are a necessary part of our spiritual life. It can also be an opportunity to stand up for our faith and show God that we are fit to be used by Him to proclaim God's kingdom here on earth. In the Old Testament God tested Abraham to prove his faith. The Israelites were also tested in Egypt before God delivered them from their enemies.

God Himself tempts no one (James 1:13) but sometimes temptations do happen to remind us that we are weak, sinful creatures living under the sting of original sin.

Our Lord Jesus was really tempted. The temptation of Jesus in the desert reminds us that satan is real and very much active in our world, tempting us with power, wealth and fame to deceive and win our souls. Even in our times, temptation has not lost its power, but is still and active force today. That is why Jesus' followers can expect to be special targets for satan's enticements. When we are so much focused on building our material strength and treasures on earth, we often neglect to charge our spiritual power. There are warnings that in our generation the devil will become very active to win souls through corrupt political leaders who greed for power and wealth.

How do we overcome temptations in our daily living? Our Lord Jesus gives us His Holy Spirit to be our strength, guide and consoler in times of temptation and testing by the evil one. Jesus is ever ready to pour out His Spirit upon us so that we may have the spiritual strength and courage to resist sin and reject the lies and deceits of the enemy.

My late professor-priest in Moral Theology gives this helpful tips in dealing with temptation: Never trust our moral capacity to resist sin and temptation. That is why, at the very first sign of temptation the best defense is always to run away immediately. Because we are up against satan who was a fallen angel and thus more powerful than us ordinary humans.

Helpful Lenten notes: The singing, or recitation, of "Gloria" in the Holy Mass is omitted during the Lenten Season. The liturgical color for Lent is Violet (the lighter shade of violet to distinguish it from the violet used during the Advent Season.)

A holy and blessed First Lenten Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!