Father Bill says...a Lenten Journey, 1st Sunday of Lent

to: all of my friends
from: Father Bill Muench

Today, I want to consider the Sunday Scriptures with you – the Lenten Sundays are very special.

The Old Testament ready for this First Sunday of Lent is from Deuteronomy – it is an instruction given by Moses for the Jewish Harvest Thanksgiving – the people show their gratitude to God by their offerings and by remembering – they are encouraged to remember the Exodus – “He brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and outstretched arm – with terrifying power, with signs and wonders.” God watched over his people – their faith was not baseless. Our liturgy – our worship at each Mass – is built on our memory of God’s great love for us through the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus – this is our faith. Our reading from Romans reminds us to confess our faith with our lips and our lives – and we will be saved. When we forget, we cease to be a people of faith.

The Gospel from Luke (the same story is told in Matthew and Mark’s Gospels) – the story of the temptation of Jesus – Jesus, fully human as well as fully divine – had to deal with some of our weaknesses.

Jesus goes out to the desert to pray – to be away and to be alone. Lent is our desert – our time to step aside with the Lord – our time to accept some hardship to be close to God. (Last Sunday, I drove down to visit my sister – five hours alone in the car can be like a desert-experience – and also five hours back)

Jesus in the desert is hungry – and is tempted to work a miracle to get something to eat. This can be a real temptation for us – especially during Lent – sick of our mortification – and we are certain that only food (or chocolate or whatever we gave up) will make us happy – life is filled with so many challenges – how to deal with the things of life – food or other stuff – “One does not live on bread alone” – bread – makes us think not just of food – but also material things – bread – money.

Then the temptation to test God – to abandon faith and demand a sign, a solution from God – to abandon the worship of God, for the worship of worldly things, power and fame. “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” God does not send misfortune to test us – nor does God respond to tests that we construct in order to prove God’s loving nature.


We are so easily tempted – all of us are weak and prone to sin – we are fertile soil for the tempter – the challenge is to know ourselves, to recognize evil – to deal with it within ourselves.

Is our faith bold enough – strong enough – to resist the temptations – that try to lead us away from God – that we abandon our worship of God because of our own desires and demands –

LET US PRAY

Almighty God, my Father – strengthen my faith – too many times I am so weak – too many times my faith is empty – I cannot be patient and faith-filled – I want something – I want my own way – I want solutions – I want answers – I don’t want to wait on you, my God – so I lose my trust in you, Lord - O Lord, strengthen my faith. This is my prayer. Amen.

Please join me as we say the Lord’s Prayer together.

By the way – I am truly enjoying the winter Olympics – I am so impressed with how hard these young people work to prepare themselves for their events – such dedication – what an example for us all.