1st Sunday of Lent, Year C
As we have begun the 40 days of Lent which commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert in preparation for His public ministry, suffering, crucifixion, death and resurrection, we are reminded in today’s gospel reading of the temptations Jesus faced at the end of His 40 days of pray, fasting and penance. Today’s gospel reading reminds us that Temptation is a do-without in the life of every Christian. As human beings, we face temptations daily and in varied ways. But as we are taught by the Catholic Church, Temptation is not sin, it only becomes a sin when we indulge in it or say ‘yes’ to it. In fact, Temptation shows our loyalty to God and that we do have an option of choosing good over evil.
The temptations of Jesus in today’s gospel reading teaches us that temptations will come our way to test and measure our firmness of faith and trust in God and that we should face and fight these temptations courageously and fearlessly like Jesus.
My dear friends in Christ, what do you do when you are tempted, do you fight the temptation or do you succumb to it? What do you do when times get tough and rough for you as a catholic christian, do you still trust in God or do you give up on Him? What do you do when life becomes too difficult and overwhelming for you and you feel lonely, rejected and abandoned, do you still believe and hope in God? What do you do when you preach and live out the gospel of Christ and you are constantly tempted, persecuted, criticized and mocked, do you still hold on to God as your solace, shield and strength? How do you overcome the temptations that come your way, and want to destroy your relationship with God by making you sin?
You can overcome these challenges and temptations by following the example of Jesus in today’s gospel reading, that is:
- By being alert and vigilant because our enemy the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8). It is only when we are alert and vigilant that we can avoid and fight those temptations.
- By praying always like Jesus did because prayer is the key to overcoming all temptation.
- By mortifying your bodies through fasting and penance like Jesus showed us in the gospel reading. This helps us focus on our spiritual lives.
- By being humble like Jesus was, as He continuously pointed to His Father when tempted in today’s gospel reading. Humility helps us focus more on God and not on ourselves, thereby making God the center of our lives.
- And lastly, by being confident and trusting in God who is always with us.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, since the devil is persistent and relentless in trying to make us fall into sin by constantly tempting us, let us like Christ live out our gospel values knowing that God is with us by being spiritually alert and vigilant; by praying always; by mortifying our bodies; and by being humble. Remember, when we do these things, we are fulfilling the promise we made at our Baptism or the promises made for us by our parents and godparents to renounce Satan and all his works and empty promises.
