To watch Fr. Joe’s homily for the First Sunday of Lent: CLICK HERE!
On this First Sunday of Lent 2019, we hear as we do every Lent about the Temptations of Jesus in the Desert… Before putting my Homily together, two Ideas came to mind:
- Where are, or what are the temptations in our lives?
- Where is God (or the Holy Spirit) in our lives ?
We are all tempted in any number of ways every day. Some small, some not so small…
Tempted to run the traffic light, to pass the school bus with its flashing red lights.
Tempted to take the easy way, to let someone else do something when we could easily have assisted or done something.
Tempted to do something we should not do morally or legally, because no one is watching.
Tempted not to assist someone, when we could or maybe should. Not to do something, because it was an inconvenience.
Tempted to rationalize the things we do that do not reflect our call to be the person and person of faith we are called to be…
And on the list goes on and in reality, the temptation will continue or will return…
One scripture scholar says of the three temptations of Jesus:
- Jesus is taunted to be relevant: turn these stones into bread.
- Jesus is taunted to be spectacular: worship me and I will give you all this power and glory.
- Jesus is taunted once more to be powerful: throw yourself down from the parapet (steeple) and save yourself!
And with each temptation by the Devil, by Satan, Jesus lets his tempter know that he stands firmly with God!
We too stand firmly with God when we call upon him in prayer; when we recall the Holy Spirit is with us and wishes to guide us to live fully our Baptismal Call: to grow in love of God, and others and be faithful disciples…
Four Days into Lent…36 More to Go…
May our Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving and Good Works:
Support us in “Standing Firm in and with God” and Living our Faith more today than yesterday!