Gospel Reflections for the Fisrt Sunday of Lent

The Gospel Reading for the first Sunday of Lent is about the temptations of Jesus. According to Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus went to the desert to fast and pray for forty days and then he became hungry. His first temptation was to turn stones into bread. How many among us would make a quick fix to all our financial difficulties? Is that not turning stones into bread? Jesus, too was tempted. He had the power but he did not use it for his own advantage. He may be hungry but he found the strength to quote scriptures to reply to the devils temptation and he said, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

What about the second temptation? Matthew continues by saying: “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.”

If Jesus used words from scriptures to shield himself from the devils temptations, the devil likewise used words from scriptures to tempt him further. He was brought to a high mountain, there to have a better view of all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and a third time the devil tempted Jesus, telling him that all these he will give to Jesus if he will prostrate himself and worship Satan. 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.” 

That same devil keeps on returning to find better ways of making us fail and fall. Let us follow Jesus in his love of Holy Scriptures. Let us study it and use God’s word to overcome and triumph over all the trials we still have to face.