Homilies | Father Nathan

Father Nathan | Homily

1st Sunday of Lent

Introduction:

Lent recalls the forty days Jesus spent in the desert, during which time he was tempted by the devil. But through prayer, fasting, and fidelity to the word of God he overcame the tempter.

We too have to face temptations. Lent is primarily the time of intense spiritual preparation for conquering our temptations, using the means Jesus used during his forty days of preparation in the desert for his public life.

It is also the time for renewing our lives for the celebration of Easter with our Risen Lord who conquered sin and death by his suffering, death and Resurrection.

Today’s readings teach us that we are always tempted by the devil, by the world and by our own selfish interests.

So, we need to cooperate actively with God’s grace to conquer our temptations. Lent provides us with a great opportunity to follow more closely the footsteps of Jesus.

Scripture lessons summarized:

In today’s first reading (Gen 2: 7-9;3:1-7), taken from the book of Genesis describes the “Original Temptation” –

“You will be like gods, knowing what is good and what is evil.”

Adam and Eve were given the possibility of making a choice to live for God, dependent upon and obedient to His will, or to say no to God.

The temptation to evil led Adam and Eve to an act of faithlessness and sin.  In contrast, today’s Gospel from St. Matthew shows us how Jesus Christ conquered temptation by relying on Faith in God’s Word and authority.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 51:3-4, 5-6,12-23, 17)

“Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.”

The second reading (Rom: 5: 12-19)

St. Paul describes how the disobedience of Adam, who fell to Satan’s Original Temptation, brought him and us sin, death, and a broken relationship with God.

Paul explains that Christ regained for us the right relationship with God by his perfect obedience to God his Father.

Today’s Gospel (Mt:4:1-11), teaches us how the

“desert experience” of fasting, praying, and soul-strengthening enabled Jesus to confront his temptations successfully and then to preach the Good News of salvation.

The tempter urges Jesus to turn stones into loaves of bread. But Jesus rejects that temptation to mistrust His Father by satisfying his own immediate, temporal needs and thus reducing His Divine mission to self-satisfaction

The tempter then suggests that Jesus prove that he is really the Son of God by jumping off the parapet of the temple.  Jesus rejects this as a temptation to act as God’s superior and demand He prove His Trustworthiness!

Finally, Jesus rejects the temptation to idolatry, even if worshipping Satan would enrich and empower Jesus with all kingdoms of the world.

Jesus is the new Adam, who by his obedience restores for us the gifts lost by the disobedience of the first Adam that we read in the second reading.

He is also the new Israel. Like the first Israel he too tested in the desert. But whereas the first Israel was found wanting, Jesus remained faithful to God.

Life Messages:

1) We are to confront and conquer temptations as Jesus did, using the means he employed.

Every one of us is tempted to seek sinful pleasures, easy wealth and a position of authority, power and glory, and to use any means, even unjust or sinful ones, to gain these things.

Jesus serves as a model for us in conquering temptations by strengthening himself through prayer, penance and the effective use of the Word of God.

Hence, during this Lent, let us confront our evil tendencies with prayer (especially by participating in the Holy Mass), with penance and with meditative reading of the Bible.

2) We are togrow in holiness by prayer, reconciliation and sharing during Lent

a) by finding time to be with God every day of Lent, speaking to Him in fervent prayer and listening to Him through the meditative reading of the Bible

b) by being reconciled with God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and reconciled with others by asking their forgiveness for our offenses against them

c) by sharing our love with others through selfless and humble service, almsgiving and helping those in need.

Amen…

Wishing you and Your Family a Year Filled with Holiness and Grace!

Have a Blessed Week,

Fr. Nathan