First Sunday of Lent: C: March 6, 2022

             THE TEMPTATIONS OF JESUS

First Reading: Deuteronomy 26: 4-10

Second Reading: Romans 10: 8-13

Gospel Reading: Luke 4: 1-13

   * First reading is from the book of Deuteronomy. Moses instructs the people of Israel how the priests should offer to the Lord God the first produce of the land as a thanksgiving. These instructions are to be observed meticulously. They are given in the context of the Lord God had liberated them from the slavery of Egypt and led them to the promised land - a land flowing with milk and honey. The chosen people are to be thankful and grateful for the many marvelous things the Lord God had done in their lives.

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. Paul instructs the Christian community at Rome that salvation is for all. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ and calls upon His name will be saved. Further he affirms that in the sight of God there is no distinction between Jews and Greeks (people from different races and nationalities). God's blessings are open to everyone, provided they call upon the name of the Lord. 

The temptations faced by Jesus in the desert                                                  Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. A detailed account of the temptations of Jesus at the beginning of His public ministry is narrated. Jesus spent forty days fasting and praying in the wilderness. After that the devil appeared and tempted Him. The temptations were of three kinds. The first temptation was to change stones into bread. A temptation that He could satisfy His hunger and the hunger of the people around Him. The devil tempted Jesus in a very subtle way and asked Jesus to be a miracle worker who will remove the hunger of the masses. But Jesus firmly rejected this temptation. He sternly told the devil: "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." The second temptation took place on a high mountain. The devil showed Jesus the glory of the kingdoms of the whole world and promised Him that he would give Him all the glory and power in the world if Jesus worshiped the devil. Jesus rejected this temptation too by telling the devil: " You shall worship the Lord your God." Thus Jesus affirmed that worship is only for God and worldly possessions, power, positions and all that belongs to the devil are not to be worshiped. In the third and final temptation, the devil asked Jesus to throw Himself down from the pinnacle of the Jerusalem temple. Jesus was assured that the angels would protect Him from any harm. Jesus rejected this temptation too. It was a temptation to test the power of God. Jesus made it clear to the devil that we have no reason to put God to test in any matter. God is not the cause of man-made disasters, calamities and wars. Lent is a God given time to overcome our many temptations (weaknesses) through fasting and prayer as Jesus did in the desert. 

"Fasting from any nourishment, activity, involvement or pursuit - for any reason - sets the stage for God to appear." - D. B. Allender

"When the flesh is satisfied, it is hard to pray with cheerfulness or to devote oneself to a life of service which calls for much self renunciation." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

"You cannot stop birds flying over your head but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair." - A Chinese Proverb ( true with regard to our temptations)