First Reading: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Reflection:
The first reading this Sunday recounts the Creation and Fall of humanity. God created human beings in His image and likeness. He created them, along with all of Creation, as “good,” and in a perfect, loving relationship with Him. At the same time, God gave human beings free will, which is the ability to choose between loving God or rejecting Him. Although God desires for humanity to love Him, He does not force anyone into loving Him (for true love cannot be coerced). With man’s freedom came a choice: to obey God or disobey Him. This reading recounts the temptation of Adam and Eve by the Devil, who is represented by a serpent. Adam and Eve gave into the temptation, choosing to distrust and disobey God. The consequence for their actions was the entrance of sin and death into the world. Ever since Adam and Eve, humanity has been plagued with sin and the destruction it brings. Yet, although humanity got itself into this problem, God has chosen to get humanity out of it and offer salvation. The remaining readings explain how God made possible the solution to sin and death through Jesus Christ.
Second Reading: Romans 5:12-19
Reflection:
In this passage, the Apostle Paul contrasts Adam and Jesus. Traditionally, Jesus has been called the New Adam because He came to correct the problem that Adam (and Eve) led humanity into through disobedience. Through Adam, sin and death entered into the world and “reigned” over humanity. Humanity could not get out of this problem on its own, so God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to bring salvation. Through Jesus and His work of redemption through His crucifixion and resurrection, humanity has been offered the remedy to sin. Jesus brings forgiveness and grace, “acquittal and life.” As a result, we can “be made righteous.” In other words, we don’t have to be stuck in the mud of sin. Christ offers us new life in Him, allowing us to be transformed from sinners into saints. Jesus’ grace and forgiveness is available to all, although not all will accept it. We simply must repent of our sins and entrust our lives to God. Repentance means having sorrow (i.e. contrition) for our sins and resolve to turn away from sin and towards God. Faith means entrusting our entire lives to God, submitting our wills to His and walking in obedience to His ways. Faith works itself out in practice through love. The Christian life is an ongoing process of repenting of our sins, growing in faith, and living in love. The season of Lent is a fitting time to commit to grow in these areas.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:1-11
Reflection:
The events of Jesus’ life evidence His role as Savior—the One who will correct the problem Adam brought humanity into. The Temptation in the Desert is one example of that corrective role. After Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan and before He officially began His public ministry of preaching and performing miracles, Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting and praying. Forty is an important number in the Bible that indicates a period of testing and preparation (e.g. the Israelites spent forty years in the desert after the Exodus being tested and prepared to enter the Promised Land). The forty days of Lent imitate this period of Jesus’ life and represent for us a time of preparing our hearts for the celebration of Easter. Just as Jesus fasted and prayed, we also focus on those practices during Lent. At the end of Jesus’ forty days in the desert, the Devil came to tempt Him, in similar fashion to the Devil’s temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden. The difference is that Jesus withstood the test, resisting the Devil through quoting Scripture to him and saying ‘no’ to his temptations. Therefore, Jesus evidenced His power over sin and death and His ability to bring salvation to humanity.
Application:
- What temptations do you struggle with? In what areas of your life do you tend to turn away from God? Take those items to prayer, commit to going to Confession during Lent, and ask Jesus to help you resist those temptations.
- Thank God for the gift of salvation offered to us through Jesus. In what ways do you need to more fully entrust your life to Jesus? What particular areas of your life are you holding back from entrusting to Him? Why? What action steps can you take this Lent to better put your trust in Christ in those particular areas?
