FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (cycle C) 1998

God's word is a clear invitation to acknowledge God's power. It is a call to faith and trust in God. The reading from Deuteronomy is a kind of liturgical hymn that briefly describes salvation history, as the people call out to God in their misery. Then there is an acknowledgement of all that God has done to save the people from oppression: this summary is what we read. And it tells us that God was active in the process of saving, with mighty and powerful signs, which brought the people to a new land, "flowing with milk and honey." Besised offer first fruits, as sacrifice in thanksgiving, the people can only bow down and worship God who is the all-powerful savior.

The offering of fruits and vegetables is symbolic of the desire to acknowledge God's goodness and care. What is also important is the interior disposition of the people, faith expressed by a deep trust in all that God does.

Psalm 91 speaks of trust in God, "the Most high." God is "refuge and fortress." God's protection (the psalm text says 'angelic' -- we can understand this as the spiritual being we call 'angels' or we might understand special persons sent throughout history to lead and guide is special instances) -- God's protection gives certainty and power in facing crises, represented by wild beasts: the asp, the viper, the lion, the dragon. The final verses of today's response give assurance that all who know and love God will receive divine help, and even more, be honored by God.

A point similar to that made in the first reading is made by Paul in the selection from Romans, Paul says that no one who believes in Jesus will be put to shame. Put directly -- such a one will be saved. Believing means living as Jesus taught. So salvation is open to everyone.

Our gospel text is the familiar scene of Jesus temptation by the devil. There is purpose in the detail of Luke's presentation of this experience of Jesus. This is an insight into Luke's text. Luke begins: "Jesus was led into the desert for 40 days ..." It can be looked at or considered to be a symbolic number, and this number can indicate the whole of Jesus' ministry and his confrontation with the forces of evil. In it all, Jesus relies solely on the power of God's Spirit and his vocation of filial obedience to the Father's will.

Luke's account begins and ends in Jerusalem. Jesus knows that the fulfillment of God's salvific plan will ultimately be played out in the holy city. And therefore the temptations take place there -- in the environs of Jerusalem and at the temple.

On Ash Wednesday we were invited to enter into Lent, using the three traditional practices of fasting, alms giving and prayer. Each of these is important, because temptation is never far from most of us as we strive to live the Christian life. Lent certainly is the time when we are invited by Jesus to acknowledge it and find ways to confront and overcome it. The temptations being described today represent the ‘big three' temptations in all our lives:

to manipulate the goods of the earth (turn stone into bread)
to manipulate the lives of others (have power over all people)
to manipulate God (try to put God to the test).

Lent is:

an opportunity to fast (use carefully and wisely the goods of the earth)
an opportunity to give alms (restore dignity and equality to the lives of others, a call to social justice and action)
a time to pray (acknowledge God as creator, Savior, Sanctifier and that we area all called to loving obedience to our God.

Does Jesus not offer us this Lenten way of living because it is tried and true, because he relied on it during the forty days ... during his entire public ministry (and presumably during his entire life among us)?

For catechumens -- those preparing for baptism or for those who have come to appreciate the fullness of sacraments in the Church, today is the day to publicly announce their choice for fullness of life in the Church. For those of us already initiated, this is a time to prepare for the renewal of our baptism, as we accompany the elect on their journey to the Easter vigil moment of grace and celebration.

Lent is always a call to conversion: to turn our lives around by acknowledging where there is need to change as well as by making definite steps to make this happen. This Sunday -- the first of 40 days -- allows us the opportunity to enter into the desert with Jesus and use those disciplines that allow us to make the experience count. Paul writing to the Romans reminds us that we do not need to look far away for solutions to life's big questions: the words are on our lips and in our hearts:"Jesus is Lord."

Let's reflect:

In our time, we live in a world made smaller by the advances in technology and communication, but a world still on the brink of disaster because we have not grasped the message of Jesus. We don't understand the relationship between the disciplines of Ash Wednesday and the temptations recounted in the gospel.

The misuse of the earth, the sea and atmosphere continues to poison us and leaves a questionable inheritance for those who will follow us. Daily news reports and incidents tell us that the oppression of women and children, of the poor and needy, by actions and policies, by prejudices and selfishness, and this happens throughout the world, even here in our own country -- all of this causes tremendous suffering and unnecessary deaths, or takes away from the dignity of and lies in the face of the sacredness of life.

Furthermore, in this so-called post-modern age, God's sovereignty is one more question easily tossed aside as irrevelant. (One scientist recently in speaking of the possibilities of cloning said that we are fast becoming as knowledgeable as God, and as powerful, and will become the equal of God -- such is the blasphemy of contemporary times).

We do not need to go into the desert; we are in it, and the temptations are always there. We will make it through if we stand together in our firm belief that the power of the Spirit, God's Spirit, sustains us.

"To You, Lord, I Call"

Rev. Charles Yost, scj

Nesbit, MS