MARCH 05, 2017 : FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 22

Reading 1GN 2:7-9; 3:1-7

The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground 
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, 
and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, 
and placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow 
that were delightful to look at and good for food, 
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden 
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals 
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
"Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?"
The woman answered the serpent: 
"We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 
it is only about the fruit of the tree 
in the middle of the garden that God said, 
'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"
But the serpent said to the woman:
"You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods 
who know what is good and what is evil."
The woman saw that the tree was good for food, 
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it; 
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, 
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, 
and they realized that they were naked; 
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.

Responsorial PsalmPS 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17

R. (cf. 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Reading 2 ROM 5:12-19

Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, 
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses, 
even over those who did not sin 
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, 
who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, 
how much more did the grace of God 
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ 
overflow for the many.
And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned.
For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; 
but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one, 
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification 
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression 
condemnation came upon all, 
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners, 
so, through the obedience of the one, 
the many will be made righteous.

OrROM 5:12, 17-19

Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death, 
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.

For if, by the transgression of the one, 
death came to reign through that one, 
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification 
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression 
condemnation came upon all, 
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners, 
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.

Verse Before The GospelMT 4:4B

One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

GospelMT 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and 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 made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 
and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
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 in their magnificence, 
and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, 
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me."
At this, 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.

www.usccb.org

1st Sunday in Lent – Cycle A

Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.

1st Reading - Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7

The Book of Genesis (Greek for “origin”) records the creation of the world and our first parents, and the origin of sin; the history of mankind from the time of Noah; the Flood; the tower of Babel; the confusion of languages, and the division of the human race. The author then turns to the descendants of Shem, the eldest (firstborn) son of Noah, and deals with the greatest of these descendants, Abraham, the father of the chosen people. Then follows the history of Abraham’s son Isaac, of Esau’s forfeiture of his birthright blessing, and the succession of Jacob. Jacob’s fortunes are next related in detail. Lastly, the personal history of Joseph is told, and the migration of his father Jacob (Israel) and his brethren into the land of Egypt.

For almost 3,300 years the authorship of Genesis (along with the other four books that make up the Pentateuch) was attributed to Moses by both Jewish and Christian tradition. Although significant questions about his authorship were raised at points along the way, it was not until the 18th century that the question was seriously broached. Today it is commonplace that he did not write these books (at least not every part of them), but who the other authors might have been is unknown. At the time of Jesus, it was accepted that Moses was the author.

The primeval history, from which our reading for today comes, marks a significant beginning in that it underscores Israel’s own understanding of itself against the background of world history. In our reading today, the essential goodness of creation stands in stark contrast to human disobedience.

2:7 The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground 

The Hebrew word for “man” is adam and the Hebrew word for “clay of the ground” is adama.

and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being. 

The Hebrew word ruah means “spirit” or “wind” or “breath”. Man has a special kind of life which distinguishes him from all other animals; a life that comes from God.

8 Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and he placed there the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.

The tree of the knowledge of good and bad is the only tree in the garden from which Adam cannot eat as we are told in verse 17. Woman is then made in verse 22.

3:1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made.

Some commentators hold that the word “subtle” in Hebrew shares the same root as “naked.” The play on words alluded to is erumin (naked) and arum (subtle). This play on words, if intended, is secondary to the story itself. The serpent is a creature made by God. Tradition has it that Satan was a fallen angel, probably a seraph (seraphim), the highest choir of angels. Seraphs are described in Isaiah 6:2 as winged. They are described as fiery serpents in Numbers 21:6. Satan is described in Revelation 12 as a dragon, a serpent with wings. One who has his wings folded, or has lost them, looks like a snake.  

The serpent asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?" 

The serpent’s question is a distortion of the divine command - it makes it sound like an unwarranted restriction that deserves a reply if conversation is to be maintained.

2 The woman answered the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’” 

The woman corrects the serpent’s distortion, but adds a distortion of her own. The command given the man by God was simply “not to eat of the tree” (Genesis 2:17). Hebrew legend has it that the man had forbidden the woman to touch the tree because of his zeal to guard her against the transgressing of the Divine command. This original sin begins with some distortion of the truth on the part of both Satan and mankind.

4    But the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die! 

Satan refers to a physical death rather than a spiritual one.

5    No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is bad.”

You will have a knowledge of both good and evil. Up until this point only good has been experienced.

6    The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 

She didn’t have to hunt him down, he was right alongside her. Genesis 2:15 tells us that God commanded the man to “till and keep” the garden. The Hebrew word shammar translated as “keep” can also be translated as “guard” (keep safe). If the man is to guard, there must be something to guard against. The man is standing alongside the woman and fails to keep her safe. It was not the woman who committed the first sin, but the man who failed in his duty to guard her. What should the man have done? He should have taken the serpent to task, done battle with it to defend his family; a battle which may well have cost the man his physical life. How do we know this? Because this is exactly what Jesus, the second Adam, did. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13). 

7    Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Their nakedness becomes an occasion for shame; something which was impossible before the sin. Since they were at the tree of knowledge of good and evil, this tree must have been a fig - a tree which is used later in the Old and New Testaments as a symbol of Israel and Jerusalem. Hebrew legend also tells us that the fig was the forbidden fruit itself. 

2nd Reading - Romans 5:12-19

Written by Paul from Corinth around the year 58, this is the most morally instructive of all his letters and also the most doctrinally profound. It is also very beautifully written, from a stylistic point of view. It contains a summary (naturally, an incomplete one) of Christian teaching, starting with the Old Covenant and an outline of God’s plans for man’s salvation after the fall of our first parents.

The letter is explicitly addressed to the Christians at Rome, whom Paul plans to visit on his way to Spain (a trip he never completed as once he got to Rome, he never left). He writes to preach the Gospel of God, for that is the mission to which God has called him; in particular he writes to the Christians at Rome “whose faith is proclaimed in all the world”; most of whom are Gentile converts. They are being told by Jews resident in Rome that salvation comes through the Law of Moses; whereas they had been taught that it was based on faith in Jesus the Christ, and that it was not necessary to keep the Mosaic Law. Paul feels that they need a more theological induction into that Christian teaching which they have already accepted and this is what he now gives them, at the same time announcing his forthcoming visit.

In our reading today, Saint Paul explains how the new Christian life brings about freedom from sin and death. Paul does this by comparing Adam, the first parent, with Christ, the head of the new humanity (the new Adam). He reflects on the sin of Adam (our 1st reading) in the light of the redemptive mystery of Christ. Sin, as addressed here by Saint Paul, refers to the dreadful power which has gripped humanity and is even now in revolt against the Creator and engaged in the exaltation of its own desires and interests. 12 Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, 

The emphasis on the “one man” continues throughout this reading, occurring eight times. The contrast between one man and all brings out the universality of what is involved here. Paul affirms the existence of hereditary sin. The Council of Carthedge (A.D. 418) gave a definitive interpretation to this text in the sense that Paul’s words teach a form of the dogma of Original Sin. It is one of only seven scripture texts that enjoys a dogmatic interpretation.

and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned 

Not merely physical, bodily death (separation of body and soul), but also including spiritual death (the separation of human beings from God, the source of life). That “all” includes infants is a precision which was born of later controversy. The Council of Trent included infants and thus the necessity of infant baptism, which had been practiced for sixteen centuries before it was seriously questioned.

“Everyone, even little children, have broken God’s covenant, not indeed in virtue of any personal action but in virtue of mankind’s common origin in that single ancestor in whom all have sinned.” [Saint Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 413-426), The City of God 16,27]

“When a man is born, he is already born with death, because he contracts sin from Adam.”

[Saint Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 416), Homilies on the Gospel of John 49:12,2]

13    for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. 

From Adam to Moses, the source of death was Adam’s sin: men did, of course, commit evil deeds, but they were not charged with them because the Law had not yet been given them. The Law is the first five books of the Bible, which according to Hebrew and Christian tradition were written by Moses.

14    But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come. 

Note he refers to Adam’s sin, not Eve’s. As we learned in our first reading, the first sin was the failure to guard. Disobedience.

“Sin was in the world before the Law of Moses came, and it was counted, though not according to that Law. Rather, it was counted according to the law of nature, by which we have learned to distinguish good and evil. This was the law of which Paul spoke above (Romans 2:14).” [Diodore of Tarsus (ca. A.D. 373), Pauline Commentary From the Greek Church]

15    But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus Christ overflow for the many. 

The gift of Jesus Christ was made to all mankind.

16    And the gift is not like the result of the one person’s sinning. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal. 

This second mode contrasts the verdict of condemnation for one sin, which fell on all men, with the verdict of acquittal for men condemned not only through Adam’s transgression, but also through their own offenses.

17    For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ. 

Death came through one man, Adam, and the gift of upright life is obtained through one man, Jesus the Christ

“There is an obvious difference between the fact that those who have sinned in imitation of Adam’s transgression have been condemned and the fact that the grace of God in Christ has justified men not from one trespass but from many sins, giving them forgiveness of sins.” [The Ambrosiaster (A.D. 366-384), Commentaries on Thirteen Pauline Epistles]

18    In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. 19 For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous.

The formal effect of Adam’s disobedience was to make mankind not only liable to punishment, but actually made us sinners. Adam’s disobedience placed the mass of mankind in a condition of estrangement from God. “many will be made righteous” most likely refers to the final judgment, when the final phase of the process of justification will be achieved in glory. From Adam we get a sinful nature, but from Christ we get a righteous nature.

Gospel - Matthew 4:1-11

After his baptism and before the start of his public ministry, Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert. Today we hear of this temptation. Obedience to the Father is a characteristic of true sonship. The individual temptations related here are not as bizarre as they appear at first glance, they are all based on temptations to which the Israelites had succumbed during their forty years in the desert. In each case, Jesus goes to the section of Deuteronomy where Moses recounts these temptations and the correct response.

1    Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

Probably the desert of Judea; a steep slope that falls from the central ridge of the country to the valley of the Jordan and the Dead Sea. Jebel Qaranthal, named after the forty days, lies to the west of Jericho and is traditionally associated with the mount of temptation.

2    He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. 

Moses spent forty days and forty nights fasting on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18). Israel spent forty years in the desert being tempted and failing. The number 40 in Hebrew numerology indicates a time of transition or change.

3    The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” 4 He said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’” 

Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 8:3. The Israelites had been hungry in the desert and had rebelled.

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you and ‘with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12.

7    Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’”

Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16. Massah is so called because at this place the Israelites put God to the test (Exodus 17:7).

8    Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,

This mountain does not exist in nature, it is a vision; although Jebel Qaranthal has been associated with it in legend.

9    and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” 

The temptation is to use political power to accomplish the ends of the Messianic Mission.

10    At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.’” 11 Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.

Jesus dismisses Satan and quotes Deuteronomy 6:13, another test the Israelites had failed in the desert.

www.scborromeo.org

Meditation: Jesus fasted and was tempted by the devil

Are you ready to follow the Lord Jesus and to go with him wherever he leads you? Jesus did not choose his own course or path in life, but followed the will of his Father in heaven. After Jesus' was baptized by John the Baptist at the River Jordan, he was led by the Spirit of God to withdrew into the wilderness of Judea - a vast desert wilderness that was mostly uninhabitable and full of danger. Danger from scorching heat by day and extreme cold at night, danger from wild animals and scorpions, plus the deprivation of food and scarcity of water.

Preparing mind, heart, and will to serve God

Why did Jesus choose such a barren, lonely place for a sustained period of prayer and fasting? Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us in their Gospel accounts that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. Mark states it most emphatically: "The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness" (Mark 1:12).

What compelled Jesus to seek solitude, away from his family and friends, for such a lengthy period? Was it simply a test to prepare him for his mission? Or did Satan want to lure him into a trap? The word tempt in English usually means to entice someone to do what is wrong or forbidden. The scriptural word used here also means test in the sense of proving and assessing someone to see if they are prepared and ready for the task at hand. We test flight pilots to see if they are fit to fly under all conditions, including times of adverse turbulence, storms, and poor visibility. In like manner God tests his people to see if they are ready to follow and serve him without reservation or compromise.

Keeping God's word and holding to his promises

On a number of occasions God tested Abraham to prove his faith and to strengthen his hope in the promises that God made to him. Abraham obeyed willingly even when God asked him to sacrifice his only son Isaac, the son of promise. When the Israelites were sorely tested in Egypt for more than 400 years of hard labor and persecution, they did not forget God. They kept God's word and remembered his promise to deliver them from oppression and bring them back into their promised homeland.

When God called Moses to free the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt, God led them into the wilderness to his holy mountain at Sinai. There Moses ascended the mountain and met with God face to face for 40 days in prayer and fasting (Exodus 24:18). The prophet Elijah was also led on a 40 day journey to the holy mountain at Sinai (also called Horeb) to seek the face of God. God sustained Elijah for his journey with supernatural bread from heaven (1 Kings 19:8).

Jesus' forty days of testing and preparation

Jesus was no exception to this pattern of testing and preparation for the mission his Father gave him. He was led into the wilderness for 40 days without food and little shelter. He had nothing to sustain himself in this barren wilderness except what the Father would provide for him during his forty days of prayer and fasting. Jesus was left alone in this harsh and austere environment to wrestle with the temptation to seek an easy or comfortable course that would avoid pain and hardship,  humiliation and rejection, suffering and death on a cross.

Jesus' testing in the wilderness was similar to the test which Adam and Eve underwent when God made them stewards of his creation and sharers in his glory and power. When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Paradise, he provided them with everything they needed to live and to fulfill the stewardship entrusted to them. In giving them the one command to not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, God tested their love and fidelity (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-6).

Why did they fail to obey this one command of God? They listened to the voice of a rebel angel, who disguised himself as a very subtle and clever figure of charm and persuasion.The Scriptures call this tempter by many names, the devil and Satan (Revelation 12:9), Beelzebub the prince of demons (Luke 11:15, Matthew 12:24), the evil one (Matthew 13:38) and the father of lies (John 8:44). Satan tempted Adam and Eve with pride and envy to claim equality with God. As a consequence of their disobedience, Adam and Eve were cast out of Paradise and driven into the wilderness.

Jesus resisted the devil and obeyed the voice of his Father

Jesus now freely enters the wilderness in order to regain Paradise for the lost children of God. Jesus refuses food to show his dependence on the bread of heaven, the word of God, that would sustain him not only in his physical hunger, but in his hour of temptation as well. When Satan tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread, Jesus replied with the words of Scripture, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (quote from Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4).

Where did Jesus find the strength to survive the desert's harsh conditions and the tempter's seduction? He fed on God's word and found strength in doing his Father's will. Satan will surely tempt us and he will try his best to get us to choose our will over God's will. If he can't make us renounce our faith or sin mortally, he will then try to get us to make choices that will lead us, little by little, away from what God wants for us.

Strength from God in resisting temptation

Jesus was tempted like us and he overcame sin not by his own human effort but by the grace and strength which his Father gave to him. He had to renounce his will for the will of his Father. He succeeded because he wanted to please his Father and he trusted that his Father would give him the strength to overcome the obstacles that stood in the way. Luke says that Jesus was "full of the Holy Spirit" (Luke 4:1). When tempted by the devil Jesus did not try to fight his adversary on his own human strength. He relied on the power which the Spirit gave him. Jesus came to overthrow the evil one who held us captive to sin and fear of death (Hebrews 2:14). His obedience to his Father's will and his willingness to embrace the cross reversed the curse of Adam's disobedience. His victory over sin and death won for us not only pardon for our sins but adoption as sons and daughters of God.

How can we overcome sin and gain freedom over our unruly desires and the lies of Satan and the world? The Lord Jesus gives us his Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness (Romans 8:26) and to be our guide and consoler in temptation and testing (1 Corinthians 10:13). The Lord gives grace to the humble who acknowledge their dependence on him (James 4:6) and he helps us to stand against the lies and attacks of our enemy, Satan, who seeks to destroy us (1 Peter 5:8-10; Ephesians 6:10-18). The Lord Jesus is ever ready to pour out his Spirit upon us that we may have the strength and courage we need to resist sin and to reject the lies and deceits of Satan. God wants us to "fight the good fight of the faith" (1 Timothy 6:12) with the power and strength which comes from the Holy Spirit. Do you rely on the Lord for your strength and help?

"Lord Jesus, your word is life and joy for me. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may have the strength and courage to embrace your will in all things and to renounce whatever is contrary to it."

A Daily Quote for Lent: On the Snare of the Devil, by Ambrose, 339-397 A.D.

"The devil said to Jesus: 'If you are the son of God, command that these stones become bread' (Luke 4:3). Here we learn that there are three principal weapons that the devil likes to carry in order to wound our souls. They are gluttony, arrogance and ambition. Here begins the weapon with which he has already been victorious. We likewise should begin to be victorious in Christ in the very same area in which we have been defeated in Adam - we should be wary of gluttony. The devious trap is set for us when the table is laid for a royal banquet - it is bound to weaken our defences.

"See what weapons Christ uses to defeat the power of the devil. He does not use the almighty power he has as God - what help would that be to us? In his humanity he summons the help common to all - overlooking bodily hunger and seeking the word of God for nourishment.

"Whoever follows the Word is no longer attached to earthly bread, because he receives the bread of heaven and knows the divine is better than the human, the spiritual is better than the physical. Therefore, because such a person desires the true life, he looks for that which fortifies the heart by means of its invisible substance." (excerpt from On the Gospel of St. Luke, 4, 17)

www.dailyscripture.net

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
SUNDAY, MARCH 5, MATTHEW 4:1-11
(Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Psalm 51; Romans 5:12-19)

KEY VERSE: "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil" (v 1).
TO KNOW: The Church offers us these forty days of Lent as an opportunity to overcome sin in our lives, and to prepare ourselves for Christ's triumph over evil through his glorious resurrection. Following his baptism, Jesus spent forty days in the desert. The Israelites were tested for forty years in the wilderness and failed, whereas Jesus proved his faithfulness on his forty day desert sojourn. In contrast to the disobedience of God's people, Jesus rejected every temptation to earthly power. The ways of the world were not the ways of Jesus. He defeated Satan's distorted use of God's word by quoting from the book of Deuteronomy that retold the story of Israel's desert wanderings. Matthew wrote, “The devil left Jesus for a time” (Mt 4:11), but those temptations keep coming back to those who follow Jesus. As disciples, we have to try to be a community that rejects the so-called wisdom of the world and humbly follow Jesus as his disciples.
TO LOVE: What will help me overcome my temptations during this season of Lent?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, I rededicate myself to you this Lent. 

RITE OF ELECTION

The Rite of Election usually takes place on or about the First Sunday of Lent. The names of those who will soon celebrate the sacraments of initiation are announced and those who are named will celebrate baptism, confirmation, and first communion at their parishes during the following Easter Vigil. Usually the rite takes place at the cathedral with the bishop. The individuals enter the cathedral as "catechumens" and leave as "elect." "Election" refers to the idea of "the chosen people." In Israel’s early history, God chose a people and established a covenant with them. Christians believe that God continues to choose people, now through the covenant of baptism. The key moments of the rite are the affirmation by the godparents testifying that the catechumens are worthy to be initiated. (The entire assembly may also join the affirmation.) Next the bishop invites the catechumens to sign the book of the elect. In some dioceses, this action has already taken place in parishes during the Rite of Sending, and the books are presented at this point. Finally, during the act of election, the bishop declares that the catechumens are members of the elect, to be initiated at the next Easter Vigil. There is another optional rite of sending for those previously baptized in other ecclesial communities who are preparing for the rite of reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

Sunday 5 March 2017

Sun 5th. 1st Sunday of Lent. 
Gn 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Rm 5:12-19; Mt 4:1-11

In this special Lenten series – Darkness to light: An intimate journey with Jesus – our guest writer looks to the Gospel stories for answers to the questions that many of us ask when faced with difficult times.

Readings

'Then the devil left Jesus, and angels appeared and looked after him.'

Angels are quite uncommon in the Gospels.
They only appear in three critical moments of Jesus' life: first, when he is conceived apparently fatherless and then born homeless; secondly,
when he is alone and tempted in the desert
at the start of his public ministry; and finally 
at his resurrection and the conclusion of his public ministry.
These are moments of absolute darkness followed by glorious light. My journey with my beloved who is dying of a terminal disease is taking me to the edge of a greater darkness than I have ever seen.
I think of Leonard Cohen's dying song:
'You want it darker'. Lord, if an angel is the touch of your caring love and a power that can never be defeated, help me to see your angel with me now.
I need an angel Lord.

www.pray.com.au

ST. JOHN JOSEPH OF THE CROSS

Self-denial is never an end in itself but is only a help toward greater charity—as the life of Saint John Joseph shows.

John Joseph was very ascetic even as a young man. He devoted himself even at his youngest years to a life of poverty and fasting. At 16 he joined the Franciscans in Naples; he was the first Italian to follow the reform movement of Saint Peter Alcantara. John’s reputation for holiness prompted his superiors to put him in charge of establishing a new friary even before he was ordained.

Obedience moved John to accept appointments as novice master, guardian and, finally, provincial. His years of mortification enabled him to offer these services to the friars with great charity. As guardian, he saw himslef with no higher priveledge and insisted on working in the kitchen or carrying the wood and water needed by the friars.

When his term as provincial expired, John Joseph dedicated himself to hearing confessions and practicing mortification, two concerns contrary to the spirit of the dawning Age of Enlightenment. John Joseph was canonized in 1839 and he is the patron saint of Ischilia, Italy, the place where he was born.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=421

LECTIO DIVINA: 1ST SUNDAY OF LENT (A)

Lectio Divina: 

 Sunday, March 5, 2017

Jesus’ encounter with the devil in the desert
Temptations in the desert of life
Matthew 4,1-11

1. OPENING PRAYER

 Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us read the Bible as you read it to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross, which seemed to signal the end of all hope, appeared to them as source of life and resurrection.

Create in us a space of silence that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in Scripture, in events and people, above all in the poor and the suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the disciples of Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of brotherhood and sisterhood, of justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who have revealed the Father and sent your Spirit. Amen

2. READING

a) A key to the reading:

Let us read this text describing the temptations of Jesus, temptations that are also those of all human beings. While reading this text we should pay attention to the following: what are the temptations, where do they take place, and how does Jesus deal with them?

b) A division of the text to help with the reading:

Mt 4,1-2: The situation where and whence the temptation arises: desert, spirit, fast and hunger

Mt 4,3-4: The temptation concerning bread.

Mt 4,5-7: The temptation concerning prestige.

Mt 4,8-11: The temptation concerning power.

c) The text:

1-2: Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry.

3-4: And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"

5-7: Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

8-11: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.

3. A TIME OF PRAYERFUL SILENCE

so that the Word of God may enter into our hearts and enlighten our lives.

4. SOME QUESTIONS

to help us meditate and pray.

a) What were the temptations? What is the connection between the Spirit, the desert, the fast and hunger and the temptation of Jesus?

b) What does the word temptation suggest to us today? How does it affect me in my daily life?

c) The tempter or Satan is he or she or that which takes me away from or makes me deviate from God’s path. It may be that I have already been Satan for someone, just like Peter was for Jesus.

d) The Spirit leads Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. This recalls to mind the temptations of the people in the desert after the exodus from Egypt. What does Matthew wish to suggest and teach through this reminder of the temptations of the people in the desert?

e) The devil uses the Bible to tempt Jesus. Jesus uses the Bible to overcome the temptation! Can the Bible be used for everything? How and for what end do I use the Bible?

f) The temptation of the bread. How can we speak of God to those who have all they need? How can we speak of God to those who are hungry?

g) The temptation concerning prestige. Prestige from knowledge, from money, from faultless moral conduct, from appearances, from fame, from honour. Do these exist in my life?

h) The temptation concerning power. Wherever two people meet, a relationship of power comes into play. How do I use the power that comes my way: in my family, in the community, in society, in my neighbourhood? Do I give in to the temptation?

5. A KEY TO THE READING

for those who wish to go deeper into the matter.

= Jesus was tempted. Matthew renders the temptations intelligible: temptation of the bread, temptation of prestige, temptation of power. These are various forms of messianic hope that, then, existed among the people. The glorious Messiah who, like a new Moses, would feed the people in the desert: "command these stones to turn into bread!" The unknown Messiah who would impose himself on all by means of a spectacular sign in the Temple: "throw yourself from here!" The nationalist Messiah who would come to dominate the world: "All these things I will give to you!"

= In the Old Testament, identical temptations allow the people in the desert to fall after their exodus from Egypt (Dt 6,3; 6,16; 6,13). Jesus repeats history. He resists the temptations and prevents them from perverting God’s plan in order to suit it to his human interests of the moment. The tempter or Satan is whatever makes us deviate from God’s plan. Peter was Satan for Jesus (Mt 16,23).

= Temptation was always there in the life of Jesus. It went with him from the beginning to the end, from his baptism to his death on the cross. For, the more the proclamation of the Good News of the Kingdom spread in the midst of the people, the greater the pressure on Jesus to adapt himself to the messianic expectations of the people to be the messiah desired and expected by others: "a glorious and nationalist messiah", "a messiah king", "a messiah high priest", "a messiah judge", "a warrior messiah", "a messiah doctor of the law". The letter to the Hebrews says, "Like us, he was tried in all things, except sin" (Heb 4,15).

= But temptation never succeeded in deviating Jesus from his mission. He continued firmly on his journey as "The Servant Messiah", as proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah and awaited especially by the poor, the anawim. In this, Jesus did not fear provoking conflicts with the authorities and with those dearest to him. All those who tried to make him deviate from his path received hard replies and unexpected reactions:

* Peter tried to take him away from the cross: "Far from it, Lord, this will never happen!" (Mt 16,22). And he heard the reply, "Get behind me, Satan!" (Mk 8,33).

* His relatives, wanted to take him home. They thought he was mad (Mk 3,21), but they heard harsh words, which seemed to create a rupture (Mk 3,33). Then, when Jesus had become famous, they wanted him to appear more often in public and to remain in Jerusalem, the capital (Jn 7,3-4). Again, Jesus replies showing that is a radical difference between his purpose and theirs (Jn 7,6-7).

* His parents complained: "Son, why have you done so?" (Lk 2,48). But Jesus replies, "Why were you looking for me? Do you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?" (Lk 2,49).

* The apostles were glad of the publicity Jesus was getting in the midst of the people and wanted him to turn towards the people. "Everyone is looking for you!" (Mk 1,37). But they heard the refusal, "Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring villages and cities, so that I may preach also to them; it is for this that I have come!" (Mk 1,38).

* John the Baptist wanted to coerce Jesus to be "the strict judge messiah" (Lk 3,9; Mt 3,7-12; Mt 11,3). Jesus reminded John of the prophecies and asked him to compare them to facts, "Go tell John what you have heard and seen!" (Mt 11,4-6 and Is 29, 18-19; 35,5-6; 61,1).

* The people, when they saw the signs of the multiplication of the bread in the desert, concluded, "This surely is the prophet who is to come on earth!" (Jn 6,14). They got together to coerce Jesus to be "the messiah king" (Jn 5,15), but Jesus took refuge on the mountain to be with the Father in solitude.

* When in prison and at the hour of darkness (Lk 22,53), the temptation to be "the warrior messiah" appeared. But Jesus says, "Put your sword back into its scabbard!" (Mt 26,52) and "Pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Lk 22,40,45).

= Jesus turned to the Word of God and there found light and nourishment. Above all, it is the prophecy of the Servant, proclaimed by Isaiah (Is 42,1-9; 49,1-6; 50,3-9; 52,13-53, 12) that fills him and encourages him to go on. At the baptism and in the transfiguration, he receives the Father’s confirmation for his journey, his mission. The voice from heaven repeats the words with which Isaiah presents the Servant of Yahweh to the people, "This is my beloved Son, hear him!" (Mk 1,11; 9,6).

= Jesus defines his mission with these words, "The Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life for the redemption of many!" (Mt 20,28; Mk 10,45). This lesson he learnt from his mother who said to the angel, "Behold the servant of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word!" (Lk 1,38). By turning to the Word of God to deepen awareness of his mission and by seeking strength in prayer, Jesus faced temptations. In the midst of the poor, the anawim, and united to his Father, faithful to both, he resisted and followed the way of the Servant Messiah, the way of service to the people (Mt 20,28).

6. PSALM 91 (90)

God our protector is with us in times of temptation

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High,
who abides in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust."

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence;
he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your habitation,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
For he will give his angels charge of
you to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will rescue him and honour him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
and show him my salvation.

7. CLOSING PRAYER

Lord Jesus, we thank you for your word, which has made the Father’s will clearer to us. May your Spirit enlighten our actions and give us the strength to follow that which your Word has revealed to us. Like Mary, your Mother, may we not only listen to the Word but also put it into practice. Who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

www.ocarm.org