First Sunday of Lent (Cycle A)
The Temptation of JesusLectionary: 22
Throughout our lives, we are frequently confronted with tests … and these tests generally reveal something about ourselves:
… You know where this is headed right? … Just a few minutes after I had arrived at depth for the wreck site, I felt an urgent pull on my tank … so I turned to look at my dive partner … only to find him pointing at his mouth … which I should not have been able to see because his breathing regulator should have been blocking my view … and it was not.
If fact, his regulator was no where to be seen (I would later learn that it had completely fallen apart and the pieces had sunk to the sea floor). But we had trained for this … normally this would mean passing my regulator back and forth between us … which would be a problem if he ever panicked and didn’t give it back … and that is when I realized that I really, Really … liked breathing air. So … While the man holding his breath under 100 feet of ocean water was actually as calm as can be … the man who should have been calm … me … was not. Fortunately my rig had a spare regulator and I eventually managed to give that to him before we had to return to the surface. Mistakes were made … Lesson learned … And yet … if I had not prepared at all for such an event, this story could have ended very differently.
The point here … is that sometimes, despite our efforts … we still fail … so we should always remember that God’s mercy is greater than our failures. This is why Lent begins in the desert. Because temptation is also an invitation. It calls us to conversion. The desert strips away illusions so that we can see our need for mercy … and know that Jesus does not condemn our weakness; He heals it. He meets us in our hunger and shows us that true nourishment comes from the Father. Lent is the season in which we name our wounds and open ourselves to the healing that comes from Christ’s own obedience and mercy.
The second reading draws a theological line from Adam to Christ, contrasting the one who brought disobedience with the one who brings righteousness and life. St. Paul’s words in this passage remind us of how dependent we are on Christ for our Lenten observances to have any spiritual effect. By themselves, practices like fasting and almsgiving do not necessarily affect our souls. There are plenty of people, for example, who have experienced hunger and yet have remained bitter or selfish; likewise many have given away money, or had it taken away, without experiencing spiritual transformation. Our Lenten efforts are not effective by themselves. They are only effective when we unite our small, token efforts with the work of Jesus. His redemption infuses our humble efforts with meaning, value, and effectiveness.
The Gospel then places Jesus in the wilderness, fasting and tested, where he refuses the shortcuts offered by the tempter and answers with the Word of God. We see the "New Adam," Jesus. He isn't in a garden; He’s in a wasteland. He hasn't eaten for forty days. He is physically at his weakest point. And yet, where the first Adam failed in a place of plenty, the New Adam triumphs in a place of poverty.
The devil isn't just trying to get Jesus to eat a stone; he’s trying to get Jesus to doubt His Father. Just before this, at His Baptism, the Father’s voice had thundered: "This is my beloved Son." Now, in the silence of the hunger and the heat, the devil whispers: "Are you sure? Because a Son of God shouldn't be this hungry. A Son of God shouldn't be this lonely."
We face these same three temptations every day, often disguised as "practical" concerns:
… And may God bless you in this season of renewal, keep you from temptation, and lead you to the joy of the resurrection.
Lectionary: 22
Reading 1 - Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17
Reading 2 - Romans 5:12-19
Verse - Matthew 4:4b
Gospel - Matthew 4:1-11
One does not live on bread alone.
Every year, we begin our Lenten journey in the same place: the desert.
The Gospel for this Sunday places Jesus in the wilderness, fasting and praying, confronted by temptation. In that stark setting we find the pattern of our own Lenten journey: a movement away from distraction toward the heart of God, a testing that reveals what truly sustains us, and a call to conversion that reshapes our lives.
Throughout our lives, we are frequently confronted with tests … and these tests generally reveal something about ourselves:
- In school, we demonstrate that we have mastered an academic subject with a test
- in sports, we demonstrate our level of a particular skill with a contest
- In life, we demonstrate the integrity of our character, and the nature and solidity of our beliefs, not so much by what we profess as by how we reveal them through our own actions in response to great adversity, strong temptation, or the pursuit of power.
ILLUSTRATION: I like Air
I learned how to SCUBA dive when I was in High School. I enjoyed it enough, that after obtaining my basic certification, I went on to become a divemaster and shipwreck specialist diver. One of the popular wrecks my club liked to dive on was the U-352, a German U-Boat that was sunk off the coast of North Carolina in over 100 ft of water. At just over 4 atmospheres of pressure, dives to that depth are less than 15 mins … and as might be expected, equipment malfunctions can be particularly dangerous … so as part of my training, I prepared for, and practiced, how to respond to those emergencies. Fortunately, with just over 40 open water dives under my belt, I had never experienced such an emergency …… You know where this is headed right? … Just a few minutes after I had arrived at depth for the wreck site, I felt an urgent pull on my tank … so I turned to look at my dive partner … only to find him pointing at his mouth … which I should not have been able to see because his breathing regulator should have been blocking my view … and it was not.
If fact, his regulator was no where to be seen (I would later learn that it had completely fallen apart and the pieces had sunk to the sea floor). But we had trained for this … normally this would mean passing my regulator back and forth between us … which would be a problem if he ever panicked and didn’t give it back … and that is when I realized that I really, Really … liked breathing air. So … While the man holding his breath under 100 feet of ocean water was actually as calm as can be … the man who should have been calm … me … was not. Fortunately my rig had a spare regulator and I eventually managed to give that to him before we had to return to the surface. Mistakes were made … Lesson learned … And yet … if I had not prepared at all for such an event, this story could have ended very differently.
The point here … is that sometimes, despite our efforts … we still fail … so we should always remember that God’s mercy is greater than our failures. This is why Lent begins in the desert. Because temptation is also an invitation. It calls us to conversion. The desert strips away illusions so that we can see our need for mercy … and know that Jesus does not condemn our weakness; He heals it. He meets us in our hunger and shows us that true nourishment comes from the Father. Lent is the season in which we name our wounds and open ourselves to the healing that comes from Christ’s own obedience and mercy.
The Two Gardens: A Tale of Two Adams
Our first reading brings us back to the beginning: the garden, the tree and the choice that opened the door to sin. It is the story of Adam and Eve in a lush garden where they had everything. They were surrounded by abundance, beauty, and the literal presence of God. Yet, they were convinced by a whisper that they were missing something. They fell because they wanted to be "like gods" on their own terms.The second reading draws a theological line from Adam to Christ, contrasting the one who brought disobedience with the one who brings righteousness and life. St. Paul’s words in this passage remind us of how dependent we are on Christ for our Lenten observances to have any spiritual effect. By themselves, practices like fasting and almsgiving do not necessarily affect our souls. There are plenty of people, for example, who have experienced hunger and yet have remained bitter or selfish; likewise many have given away money, or had it taken away, without experiencing spiritual transformation. Our Lenten efforts are not effective by themselves. They are only effective when we unite our small, token efforts with the work of Jesus. His redemption infuses our humble efforts with meaning, value, and effectiveness.
The Gospel then places Jesus in the wilderness, fasting and tested, where he refuses the shortcuts offered by the tempter and answers with the Word of God. We see the "New Adam," Jesus. He isn't in a garden; He’s in a wasteland. He hasn't eaten for forty days. He is physically at his weakest point. And yet, where the first Adam failed in a place of plenty, the New Adam triumphs in a place of poverty.
The Strategy of the Tempter
If you look closely at how the devil approaches Jesus, he uses a very specific phrase: “If you are the Son of God…”The devil isn't just trying to get Jesus to eat a stone; he’s trying to get Jesus to doubt His Father. Just before this, at His Baptism, the Father’s voice had thundered: "This is my beloved Son." Now, in the silence of the hunger and the heat, the devil whispers: "Are you sure? Because a Son of God shouldn't be this hungry. A Son of God shouldn't be this lonely."
We face these same three temptations every day, often disguised as "practical" concerns:
- The Temptation of Pleasure (Stones to Bread): This is the lie that we are just our appetites. "If I feel it, I must satisfy it." It’s the belief that if we can just consume enough—enough food, enough Netflix, enough scrolling, enough comfort—we will finally feel full. Jesus reminds us: “One does not live by bread alone.”
- The Temptation of Presumption (The Temple Pinnacle): This is the "prove it" temptation. We want God to perform for us. We want a religion that guarantees us a life without pain. "If you love me, God, why did I lose my job? Why did I get sick?" We try to force God’s hand to prove that He is there.
- The Temptation of Power (The High Mountain): This is the temptation of the shortcut. The devil offers Jesus the whole world without the Cross. We face this when we sacrifice our integrity for "success," or when we think we can bring about good through control, manipulation, or anger.
What Lent Calls Us To
Lent is a time to practice the disciplines that form us to resist temptation and to live more fully in Christ. The Church traditionally names three: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These are not legalistic chores but means of conversion.- Prayer reorients the heart. In the desert Jesus prays; his prayer is the source of his strength. Our prayer need not be elaborate. It must be honest, persistent, and rooted in Scripture. Lent invites us to listen more and to speak less, to let God shape our desires.
- Fasting frees the heart. When we fast we learn that we are not defined by appetite. Fasting creates space for God and neighbor. It is a discipline that teaches solidarity with the hungry and reminds us that our deepest hunger is for God.
- Almsgiving opens the hands. Charity is the outward sign of an inward conversion. When we give, we acknowledge that what we have is a gift and that others are our brothers and sisters. Almsgiving turns private piety into public justice.
Practical Steps for This Lent
… but conversion happens in small, concrete choices. Here are practical ways to live this Lent faithfully.- Choose one concrete fast. Give up a habitual comfort—social media scrolling, a favorite snack, or an unnecessary purchase—and use the time or money saved for prayer or for someone in need.
- Deepen your prayer life. Commit to a daily examen, a short Scripture reading, or a fixed time of silence. Let the Gospel of the day be your companion.
- Give with intention. Identify a local need—food pantry, shelter, a struggling neighbor—and give time, talent, or treasure. Make almsgiving personal and sustained.
- Practice reconciliation. Lent is a privileged time to seek God’s mercy in the sacrament of confession and to mend broken relationships. Humility opens the door to healing.
Conclusion and Prayer
So as we begin this holy season, let us follow Christ into the desert with courage and humility. Let us fast to free our hearts, pray to deepen our trust, and give to share God’s mercy. Let us allow Scripture to shape our responses so that when temptation comes we answer as Jesus did: with fidelity to the Father.… And may God bless you in this season of renewal, keep you from temptation, and lead you to the joy of the resurrection.
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