[Gen
2:7-9; 3:1-7; Rom 12:5-19; Mt 4:1-11]
Today
we begin the first Sunday in the season of Lent. Lent is a season of penance
that has been set apart by the Catholic Church in memory of the forty days fast
of Our Lord Jesus in the desert. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent includes
forty fasting days. The
Lenten Season is a time to fast for the purpose of gaining spiritual strength in order to resist all forms of temptations. So the church proposes that we should do penance to regain spiritual strength.
Lenten Season is a time to fast for the purpose of gaining spiritual strength in order to resist all forms of temptations. So the church proposes that we should do penance to regain spiritual strength.
Once upon a time a very
earnest young man visited a famous rabbi. He told the rabbi that he wanted to
become a rabbi and asked for his advice. It was winter time. The rabbi stood at
the window looking out into the yard while the rabbinical candidate gave him a
glowing account of his piety and learning. The young man said, ‘You see, Rabbi,
I always dress in spotless white like the sages of old. I never drink any
alcoholic beverages; only water ever passes my lips. I perform numerous
penances. For instance, I always carry sharp-edged nails inside my shoes to
mortify me. Even in the coldest weather. I lie naked in the snow to punish my
flesh. And to complete my penance, I take a dozen lashes every day on my bare
back.’ As the young man spoke, a stable boy led a white horse into
the yard and took him to the water trough. The horse drank his fill of
water, and having done so, rolled in the snow, as horses sometimes do. ‘Just
look!’ cried the rabbi. “That animal, too, is dressed in white. It also drinks
nothing but water, has nails in its shoes and rolls naked in the snow. Also,
rest assured, it gets its daily ration of lashes on the rump from its master.
Now, I ask you, is it a saint, or is it a horse?” The point the rabbi was
making was that penance is not an end in itself. (Flor McCarthy in ‘New
Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies’)Our penance should be a means to obtaining grace to resist all
temptations in life.
Today's First Reading from the Book of Genesis
[Gen. 2:7-9, 16-18, 25; 3:1-7] recalls the creation of our first parents and
the entry of original sin into the world. Adam and Eve enjoyed an innocent
nature. But when Eve was tempted to disobey the command of God, it could
not be resisted. She just gave in, and Adam followed. It is human nature to choose
the easiest path. The path that offers no resistance. The path that has no
hurdles. The path that does not place any demand of sacrifice on us.
Anyone who has ever
paddled downriver in a canoe knows that a river does not travel in a straight
line. Rather, it twists and meanders wildly, whipping
blindly around bends, constantly pushing the craft back and forth from sand bar
to overhung branch to brambly shore. The river follows the path of least resistance and following the path of least resistance is what
makes the river crooked.
The same is applicable to us too.
Once upon a
time there were three shepherds who each was responsible for a flock of sheep. One winter’s night all
three were awakened by the howling of a wolf. The first was about to get out of
bed when he heard the rain beating against his bedroom window. He had second
thoughts, turned over in bed, and went back to sleep. The second got out of
bed, dressed, and went to the front door. However, on opening it he was hit by
a squall of sleety rain. He went back inside and returned to his warm bed. The
third got up, dressed, and went outside. There he had to contend with rain,
wind, darkness and cold. But he stuck to his task until he had seen that his
sheep were secure. When he got back indoors he was wet through and got a nasty
cold as a result of his efforts. Now which of the three shepherds knew most
about the rain, the wind and the dark? The third of course. Those who give in
easily to temptation know little about the struggle involved. Those who
struggle with temptation and overcome it know it best. If you want to know what
victory over temptation costs, don’t ask a sinner ask a saint. (Flor
McCarthy in ‘New Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies)
Today’s Gospel gives an account of the temptations
Jesus endured. After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus was put
severe temptations.
In the first
temptation, the tempter said to Jesus, "If you are the Son of God, command
these stones to become loaves of bread." [Mt. 4:3] To this, Jesus
answered, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every
word that comes from the mouth of God.'" [Mt. 4:4]
It is a temptation the modern world faces much
more than that of any age. The greed for material possession. The
insatiable greed for luxury. When the world around us suffers, we run
after the latest fashions. The world is constantly hit by natural
disasters. (Tsunami in Japan). Countless number of people loses their shelter,
clothing and means of livelihood. They are reduced to nothing. In such a
world to run after satisfying our greed for luxury is a great
sin, and easily giving into temptation. The season of lent reminds us to
open our eyes and see the world around us; to act promptly and not to
wait.
In the second temptation, "the devil took
Jesus to the holy city and placed Him on the pinnacle of the Temple." {Mt.
4:5] Then Satan said to Jesus, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself
down; for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On
their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against
a stone.'" [Ps. 91:11-2; Mt. 4:6] To this, Jesus replied, "Again it
is written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" [Mt. 4:7]
The temple of Jerusalem was very high and there
were always plenty of people gathered in the courtyards of the
temple. If the people see a person coming down from the top of the
temple without getting hurt, He would become popular hero. Winning
popularity always remains an unconquerable temptation. We are ready to do anything
to become popular – live with serpents, walk through fire, laid buried under
the earth for hours and so on. If we have an examination ourselves, we can
recount countless occasions, when we acted differently to gain popularity,
even at the cost of others. Jesus’ answer is a warning to us too.
In the final
temptation, the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed Him all the
Kingdoms of the world and their splendour. [Mt. 4:8] There, Satan said,
"All these I will give You, if You will fall down and worship me."
[Mt. 4:9] Quoting Deuteronomy 6:3, Jesus answered with severity, "Away
with you, Satan! For it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only
him.'" [Mt. 4:10]
Thirst for power is deeply embedded in each one
of us. All the wars in our history were just to satisfy the thirst of some
one. We practice it in the little spheres of our influence; at home, in
the work place, in the parish and so on.
The message of lent for us is to fight
against three basic evil natures in us: temptation to amass material
possession, temptation to gain popularity through unfair means, temptation
to get power at the cost of others. If we are able to resist them in little
measures we will be able to contribute to the alleviation of suffering and injustice
that prevail today.
Satish