16 17 But the serpent said: “[…] The moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods.” (Gn 3:4-5) A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 4:1-11 At that time, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert […]. The tempter […] said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone,/ but on every word that comes forth/ from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city, […] and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels […],/ lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world […], and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” […] Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship/ and him alone shall you serve.” Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him. The Gospel of the Lord. “Sunday, the ‘Lord’s Day,’ is the principal day for the celebration of the Eucharist because it is the day of the Resurrection. It is the pre-eminent day of the liturgical assembly, the day of the Christian family, and the day of joy and rest from work. Sunday is ‘the foundation and kernel of the whole liturgical year’ (SC 106).” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1193) S u n d a y , F e b r u a r y 2 6 F i r s t Sunday of Lent The Victory of Love The musician who leaves the group to become a solo rock star. The athlete who leaves the team he started on so he can be a bigger sports star. The politician who wants to become a rising star in his party. There are many who fall into these categories. But there is only one Jesus, and he is not a superstar; he is the Father’s Son. Satan tempts Jesus to doubt the Father and go solo, asserting his own power for worldly gain. But Jesus sees the emptiness of these promises, the lie that fleeting worldly glory will satisfy the heart. A lie played out in so many sad stories of famous and successful people. Jesus does not come to affirmpower; he comes to reveal the Father’s love. Love is what the human heart seeks. The devil is smart enough to know that his temptations to power can only work on one who is not certain of being loved. His first move must be tomake Jesus doubt his Sonship, doubt the fatherhood of God—the same doubt that tempted Adam and Eve. The devil is no match for the love between the Father and the Son. We see this first in the desert; we will see it culminate on the cross. This love will be offered to us in the Resurrection, and poured out upon us at Pentecost. Reflection based on Matthew 4:1-11 Father Richard Veras Lord God, may our Lenten observances deepen our certainty in your fatherly love, which can deliver us from temptation and evil and lead us to newness of life. Today’s suggested penance: Spend tenminutes reading the Bible. lil
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzMzNzY=