First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Reflection:
The words in this Sunday’s First Reading were spoken by Moses to the Israelites in order to prepare them for entering into the Promised Land. They were instructed to take the first-fruits of the land and offer them to the Lord in thanksgiving for bringing them there. Within these instructions was a brief recounting of some of the history of the Israelites, especially regarding the trials they had faced. The Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt and then set free by God’s miraculous power. They then wandered in the wilderness for forty years before receiving their reward by entering the Promised Land. We will see in the gospel reading how Jesus fulfills this history, remaining faithful in the midst of temptations while the Israelites did not. Interestingly, this history of Israel is an image of the Christian life. The enslavement and trials they faced represent sin. Just like the Israelites were tempted, so are we. In fact, their forty years in the wilderness are an image of our lives as Christians as we face trials and are prepared for the ultimate Promised Land, which is heaven. Lent is, therefore, a microcosm of life. It is a time where we focus on preparing. Ultimately, the entire Christian life is a time of preparation and testing in order to gain salvation.
Second Reading: Romans 10:8-13
Reflection:
The Apostle Paul here teaches us about salvation. Jesus Christ is the source of all salvation. It is through His life, death, and resurrection that salvation has been won for us. Christ died for all and, therefore, offers salvation from sin to all. Yet, not all will accept that gift and truly be saved. Many, unfortunately, reject the salvation offered to them. What, then, must we do to be saved? Paul here states it simply: “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.” That sounds pretty easy, right? If that’s all that’s necessary, then why do we have things like Lent and other Church practices? Can’t I just believe and be saved? Well, faith is essential and foundational to our salvation. Without faith, we can’t be saved. But Paul here, taken in the context of all of Scripture, says more. To “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord” is not just a onetime statement. In fact, that requires ongoing action. In order to truly confess Jesus as Lord means we need to treat Him as the Lord of our lives. For Jesus to be Lord, we must obey His commandments. The Church’s teachings guide us in how to obey Jesus and Lent helps us to grow in obedience through the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. All of these practices, therefore, are about our salvation. They’re not arbitrary. Rather, they are essential for our pursuit of making Jesus the Lord of our entire lives.
Gospel Reading: Luke 4:1-13
Reflection:
We come across the number 40 much in Scripture. This Sunday’s gospel account follows immediately after Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. He went out into the desert for 40 days to fast, pray, and face temptation by the devil. The number 40 represents a time of testing and preparation in Scripture. Recall that the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness after the Exodus or that the flood waters poured down for 40 days and 40 nights in the time of Noah. Jesus experienced this time of testing after His baptism and in preparation for His public ministry. Not only did He fast for 40 days, but He was also tempted directly by the devil. What is distinct about Jesus’ testing, though, is that He persevered and overcame the temptation. He showed Himself faithful. Jesus would bring about the definitive solution to sin through His death and resurrection. Here we see Him already conquering evil and living in distinction to those in the Old Testament who continually broke God’s covenants. By His faithfulness and, ultimately, His death and resurrection, Jesus brought about new life for us. He calls us to follow Him—to take up our cross and walk in His ways. Through Him comes salvation, as the second reading emphasized. During the season of Lent, we imitate Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and testing in the wilderness, with 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to live in solidarity with Jesus and grow in our relationship with Him. Through Jesus, we can overcome the temptations of evil. And through Jesus, we can find forgiveness when we fail.
Application:
- What temptations are you facing? Offer those up to the Lord, trusting that He understands what you are going through because He too has been tempted. Then, trust in His grace to help you overcome whatever temptation it is.
- How are you planning to invest in your relationship with Christ more intently during these 40 days of Lent? How are you striving to grow in the areas of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving? Renew your commitment to your Lenten practices.
