1st Sunday of Lent - Remain Strong Against Temptation!

Homily for the 1st Sunday of Lent.  Feel free to share questions, comments, thoughts, etc. in the comments section.  God bless! 

READINGS:

1^st Reading: Deuteronomy 26:4-10

Resp. Psalm: Ps. 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
2^nd Reading: Romans 10:8-13
Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

FOCUS: Our Christian pilgrimage through life is filled with “spiritual warfare.” 

FUNCTION: Practice the Lenten disciplines in order to be strong in moments of temptation. 
 

          The Gospel reading for this First Sunday of Lent is always the story of Jesus being driven by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by Satan.  It wasn’t quite a desert, but a group of parishioners and I recently made our annual mission trip to Haiti to visit and support St. Francis Xavier’s sister parish, Holy Cross, in Fonds-Verrettes, Haiti.  Being down there was like a desert experience – drinkable water is a precious commodity, there didn’t seem to be too many paved roads, and I only took 3 showers in 8 days.  It was a hard trip for several reasons, but we didn’t go there to relax, or to see the sights, or to sunbathe.  We went to Haiti in order to serve the needs of the people – to provide supplies and support and help with things that needed to get done. 

          One of the best things we did was help out at the clinic in Oriani – a small village about an hour’s drive away from Holy Cross parish in Fonds-Verrettes; there at the clinic, an energetic little 50-year-old religious sister – Sr. MaryAnn – sees approximately 60-70 patients a day.  While we were at the clinic, the doctor and the nurse on our team (and others, too) worked hard to see about 140 patients in the course of a 10 hour work day.  Those of us who weren’t involved in seeing patients accomplished others things like painting different parts of the clinic that needed painting, as well as visiting the school in order to deliver supplies and talk to the students, as well as taking the time to toss around the Frisbee and play soccer with some of the kids who also showed up at the clinic.

          During our time in Haiti, we were often stretched and challenged by our circumstances – whether it was the bus getting stuck in the water as we drove through a stream while driving from Port-au-Prince to Fonds-Verrettes (thanks be to God for the bulldozer that pushed us out!), or the lack of electricity at the clinic in Oriani, or the hike up to the waterfall for a “shower” in Fonds-Verrettes.  There were lots of things that were difficult, but it was all worth it.  I believe these kinds of experiences shape us and transform us; they give us perspective and make us appreciate the blessings of life here in America that we so often take for granted.  In short, I had a tremendous experience on the mission trip to Haiti – not only do people really benefit from our great generosity, but every person who goes on the trip is changed for the better by the experience; and as we became fond of saying, “It’s all a part of the experience.” J 

 

          In the same way, we need “desert experiences” like the experience Our Lord had of being in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.  There’s a reason why this Gospel passage is always the first Gospel that we hear in Lent – our own experience of Lent is called to echo the experience of Our Lord in the desert.  When we fast, particularly on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, we’re supposed to experience hunger – it’s helps us appreciate the fact that millions and millions – if not billions – of people throughout the world experience hunger on a daily basis and regularly go to bed hungry; when we abstain from eating meat on Fridays, it’s supposed to be a sacrifice because meat is probably a staple in most of our diets; and when we give things up for Lent, it’s supposed to be a struggle to maintain that discipline, because we know there are plenty of things in our lives that don’t contribute to making us better people.  Lent is supposed to do all of this and more.  It’s our annual 40-day retreat every year – our annual time to examine our lives, repent of our sins, and try to become better people. 

          But, of course it’s not easy; in fact, it’s often anything but.  The typical disciplines of Lent – prayer, fasting, almsgiving, making sacrifices – they’re all supposed to help us become better people – people who are more humble, loving, compassionate, forgiving, patient, and generally more virtuous.  But just as Jesus was tempted in the desert, we, too, will be tempted during Lent.  That doesn’t mean that we should give in to temptation; just the opposite – it means we should fight all the more to resist and remain steadfast. 

          Our Lord experienced three temptations in the desert that were specifically designed for Him; likewise, we, too, will experience temptations this Lent that will be specifically designed for us – maybe it’s the temptation to eat meat on Fridays, or to indulge in the thing or activity we gave up for Lent, or to not observe the fasting that the Church asks us to observe specifically on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, or maybe it will be something altogether different – something that the Evil One has cooked up just for us.  And then we’ll have a choice to make – will we give into the temptation, or will we resist the temptation because we know it’s the right thing to do?

          Our Christian pilgrimage through life is filled with what’s often referred to as “spiritual warfare” – an invisible battle that we constantly face both against the dark spiritual forces known as demons (aka, fallen angels or evil spirits) and against our own disordered and sinful desires.  Saint John of the Cross, along with other great spiritual masters of the Church, have often identified three great enemies of the spiritual life – the world, the flesh, and the Devil.  The Gospel this weekend highlights the activity of the Devil (aka, the Evil One or Satan); just as he tempted Our Lord, he’ll also tempt us.  First of all, we need to remember that the Devil actually exists and that he continues to be active in the world.  The Church teaches that Satan is a real, personal being – a fallen angel, a being created by God, but who fell from grace and who led other angels to fall with him in their rebellion against God and His angelic army.

          Beware: temptations will come this Lent, whether from the world, the flesh, or the Devil, and we need to be prepared to fight the spiritual battle, to engage in “spiritual warfare” for our good and the good of others.  Lent gives us a few weapons in this warfare, the most powerful of which are the sacraments – namely, the Most Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  So stay close to the Real Presence of Jesus in Holy Communion – sign up for Eucharistic adoration during our 40 Hours devotion or make an effort to attend Mass during the week.  Likewise, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation – give your sins over to God and God will show you His mercy and love.  Make more time for prayer and quiet, discipline yourself through fasting, if possible, try to be even more generous in the collection basket, and ask trusted friends to help keep you accountable to your Lenten sacrifice.  These practices will keep you strong on the spiritual battlefield, and will help you conquer both the Devil and all his temptations.  This Lent, may God strengthen you in the face of every temptation.