FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

21 FEBRUARY 2010. Today the Church begins the celebration of the Sundays in Lent, leading to Palm Sunday (the procession of Christ into Jerusalem) and Easter (our Lord's resurrection from the dead following His passion and death on the cross). Today's readings can be found here.

Today's Gospel reading from Saint Luke recalls Christ's temptation in the desert by Satan. In this passage we see that Christ is truly man and truly God. As man, Christ is subject to temptation--each of us suffers from temptation of some sort. Look at our Western society: its message is to give in to temptation; most commercial messages tell us to give in to our wants and live the "good life." Christians no better. Our example is Christ who, being God, steadfastly rejects all temptation. We cannot; we do not. We are sinful, and I am foremost among sinners.

And, like Christ, no temptation is the last until our breath runs out at the last. As the Gospel message ends: "When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time." This example of Christ's temptation was not the only temptation he felt. Remember, Christ was truly man. Temptation returned to Christ and each time he relied on His Father, our Father, and was perfect (being truly God) in his resistance to temptation.

So, consider this as a point of Lenten reflection: Temptation is not our sin. Humanity's nature is fallen, so temptation exists for each of us. Our response to temptation is sin. Only Christ resisted all temptation. So, as all of us will sin, it is our devotion and hope in Christ, despite our sin, that is the measure of our faithfulness.