FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT.
READINGS:
1R: Gen 2: 7 - 9.
PS 50 : 3 - 4, 5 - 6a, 12 - 13, 14 and 17.
2R: Rom 5: 12 - 19.
GOS MT 4: 1 - 11.
THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT REMINDS ALL THE FAITHFUL TO BE AWARE OF THE PITFALLS AND ACUTE REALITY OF TEMPTATION.
ALL THE FOUR PASSAGES ,THAT IS THE THREE READINGS AND THE PSALM CALL ON US TO REFLECT ABOUT TEMPTATION, SIN, GUILT AND FORGIVENESS / REPENTANCE.
THE FIRST READING IS A SAD COMMENTARY AS TO HOW HUMAN BEINGS EASILY YIELD TO TEMPTATION, ESPECIALLY IT IS COATED WITH SWEET WORDS AND POSSIBILITY OF GAIN. ( THE SAME WAY SCAMSTERS AND 'BLADE ' COMPANIES LURE GULLIBLE PUBLIC )
THE SECOND READING SPEAKS OF THE SECOND ADAM, JESUS, WHO HAS REVERSED THE ' TREND ' OF SIN WITH ITS CONSEQUENCES AND BROUGHT ABOUT GRACE AND SALVATION BY HIS COMPLETE OBEDIENCE.
IN THE GOSPEL WE HAVE THE DRAMATIC PRESENTATION OF THE THREE TEMPTATION, WHICH JESUS ACTUALLY FACED THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.
THE LOCATION ITSELF HAS A SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE.
1. ON THE GROUND--- RELATED TON DAILY NEEDS, ' BREAD AND BUTTER ' ISSUES. ( FOR JESUS, HUNGER THAT MOMENT WAS NEED OF THE HOUR SO TO SAY. STILL HE DID NOT YIELD. )
2. ATOP THE HILL WHERE THE TEMPLE STOOD........... RELATED TO SPIRITUAL SENSATIONALISM,MAGICAL POWER,QUESTIONING IN A WAY HIS VERY EXISTENCE OF ' SONSHIP '.
3. ATOP VERY HIGH MOUNTAIN FROM WHERE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD COULD BE SEEN...... TO BECOME POLITICAL MESSIAH, ' CONTROL ' THE WORLD . ----------- CHOTE UNGLI PE NACHANE KI ICCHAA .....(HINDI).
BUT JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS
PRAYER
PENANCE
SELF CONTROL
FAITH IN THE ' FATHER '
CORRECT PERSPECTIVE ON HIS MISSION
AND THE RIGHT USE OF THE WORD OF GOD,i. e. SCRIPTURE
RESISTED TEMPTATIONS.
THE " DESERT EXPERIENCE " ONLY REINFORCED HIS RESOLVE TO TREAD ONLY THE PATH SET BY THE FATHER.
WHERE AM I AS I BEGIN A NEW SEASON OF SPECIAL GRACE ?
DO I RESIST ?
OR YIELD EVEN TO THE SMALLEST OF TEMPTATIONS ?
