First Sunday of Lent: A: February 26, 2023

 THE SEASON OF LENT: A TIME FOR DESERT EXPERIENCE

First Reading: Genesis 2: 7-9 and 3: 2-7

Second Reading: Romans 5: 12 and 17-19

Gospel Reading: Matthew 4: 1-11 

   * First reading is from the book of Genesis. The Lord God creates the humankind out of great love. The first parents Adam and Eve are given every facility for their well-being in the garden of Eden. However, they disobey the Lord God and succumb to the temptations of the devil. As a consequence, sin and death come into the world and a rift between the Lord God and humankind begins.

   * Second reading is from St. Paul's letter to the Romans. Paul explains to the Christian community at Rome and us how sin and death came into the world through the disobedience of one man. Jesus Christ through His obedience to God the Father frees humankind from sin and death. We receive the abundance of grace and free gift of righteousness through Jesus. 

The temptations of Jesus                                                                           Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. In the first part, Jesus' experience in the desert where He spends time in fasting and praying is narrated. In the second part, temptations faced by Jesus in the desert are described in detail. The devil tempts Jesus in three different ways. The first temptation is to turn stones into bread. It is the temptation to be a popular Messiah among the hungry masses and get instant name and fame. Jesus firmly says 'No' to the devil and tells the devil, "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." The second temptation is to perform a spectacular feat so that Jesus will be acclaimed by the people around Him. The devil tells Jesus to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the Jerusalem temple because God will send His angles to protect Him. Jesus firmly says 'No' and tells the devil , "Do not put the Lord your God to test." In the third and final temptation the devil takes a chance and asks Jesus to worship the devil. Jesus firmly rejects this temptation too and tells the devil, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him." Jesus overcomes all these temptations of the devil by fasting and prayer. We too face many temptations in our day-to-day lives. Lent is a grace-filled time when all of us  are invited to renew our lives through fasting and prayer. We too need to go to the desert with Jesus to overcome the powers of evil and our inclinations to sin.

"Lent comes providentially to reawaken us to shake us from our lethargy." - Pope Francis

"Lent is a time to renew wherever we are, in that process that I call divine therapy." - Thomas Keating