First Sunday of Lent Year C
Deuteronomy 26:4–10
Psalm 91:1–2, 10–11, 12–13, 14–15
Romans 10:8–13
Luke 4:1–13
Our view of the world is established by the “shape” of our vision.
Old-fashioned cartoons used to snf Have you noticed that, in each year, the date when Lent begins is different? It always opens on Ash Wednesday for the Latin Rite, but the particular date moves back and forth through February and March, seemingly without reason.
The Feast of the Epiphany included in the Liturgy that day the proclamation of the “movable feasts,” which offers the key to understanding. The “40 days” of Lent are set by the timing of Easter. The date for Easter is decided by reviewing the change of seasons according to particular traditions regarding the Biblical calendar.
All of this means that each year, we have more or less time following the close of the Christmas Season before we enter into the practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving that are characteristic of the Lenten Season.
Lent invites us to grow. We are to grow in our understanding of Jesus Christ and in our efforts to put into practice all He has taught us. We are to live the life of Christ in the world today.
The account of the Temptation of the Lord that is given on the First Sunday of Lent, this year from Luke, brings out the fundamental areas of weakness in our human nature that can lead to the choice of sin. “Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil.”
Jesus spent the 40 days in the desert as a time analogous to Israel’s 40 years in the desert following the Exodus from Egypt. At the end of this time, Luke tells us “He was hungry.” This sets up the encounter with the devil who will probe the areas of weakness common to all human beings: physical weakness, desire for power and glory and the temptation to put God’s promises to the test.
The devil shows a capacity to speak in human terms even using Scripture as a tool. Jesus, still full of the Spirit that came to Him at His baptism, meets each test simply, also citing Scripture. He is clear that we are called to put our trust in God, living for more than earthly food, worshipping God alone and not testing God’s fidelity to us.
In our human nature, relying only on the strength of the Spirit, Jesus meets every temptation without submitting. The devil departs, to return again at the time of the Passion.
Over the past couple of years, we have found ourselves living through times of discipline similar to the practices of Lent, but not chosen. This has resulted in bringing forward many of the faults in our relationships with God and others that Lent is designed to combat.
“COVID times” have brought with them divisions of mind and heart in communities, and that even Christians have often lost their public witness of “loving one another” that served to convert the world to Christ in ages past.
The Temptation of the Lord is a reminder that our human nature has been designed to meet all the challenges that this world can throw at us. We are also given the capacity to overcome the spiritual temptations that we encounter along the way. It is a matter of renewing our awareness of the presence of grace and of God’s fidelity to us all through our history.
In the course of Lent, we must follow the example of Jesus, emptying ourselves of our self-reliance, our desire to be in control and of our failure to acknowledge God’s presence in our lives. These temptations are always with us.
COVID has kept some away from the practice of faith due to fear. Others have found “livestreaming” a convenient excuse for not being present at Mass in person, though they have returned to other pre-COVID pursuits.
Many perhaps have unwittingly given in to the temptation to put the mercy of God to the test: “God will understand.” It is true that God is merciful and that He does understand our plight. But He does call us to persevere in the practice of our faith.
May Lent be a time of return.