Moses said to the people: ‘The priest shall take the pannier from your hand and lay it before the altar of the Lord your God. Then, in the sight of the Lord your God, you must make this pronouncement:
‘“My father was a wandering Aramaean. He went down into Egypt to find refuge there, few in numbers; but there he became a nation, great, mighty, and strong. The Egyptians ill-treated us, they gave us no peace and inflicted harsh slavery on us. But we called on the Lord, the God of our fathers. The Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, our toil and our oppression; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with mighty hand and outstretched arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders. He brought us here and gave us this land, a land where milk and honey flow. Here then I bring the first-fruits of the produce of the soil that you, the Lord, have given me.”
‘You must then lay them before the Lord your God, and bow down in the sight of the Lord your God.’
‘“My father was a wandering Aramaean. He went down into Egypt to find refuge there, few in numbers; but there he became a nation, great, mighty, and strong. The Egyptians ill-treated us, they gave us no peace and inflicted harsh slavery on us. But we called on the Lord, the God of our fathers. The Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, our toil and our oppression; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with mighty hand and outstretched arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders. He brought us here and gave us this land, a land where milk and honey flow. Here then I bring the first-fruits of the produce of the soil that you, the Lord, have given me.”
‘You must then lay them before the Lord your God, and bow down in the sight of the Lord your God.’
Psalm Psalm 90:1-2,10-15
| Second reading Romans 10:8-13 |
|---|
Scripture says: The word (that is the faith we proclaim) is very near to you, it is on your lips and in your heart. If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. By believing from the heart you are made righteous; by confessing with your lips you are saved. When scripture says: those who believe in him will have no cause for shame, it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: all belong to the same Lord who is rich enough, however many ask his help, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone.’
Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him, ‘I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says:
You must worship the Lord your God,
and serve him alone.’
Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said to him ‘throw yourself down from here, for scripture says:
He will put his angels in charge of you
to guard you,
and again:
They will hold you up on their hands
in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’
But Jesus answered him, ‘It has been said:
You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.
Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him, ‘I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says:
You must worship the Lord your God,
and serve him alone.’
Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said to him ‘throw yourself down from here, for scripture says:
He will put his angels in charge of you
to guard you,
and again:
They will hold you up on their hands
in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’
But Jesus answered him, ‘It has been said:
You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.
Reflection
By Pietro S. Albano
I note that Valentine’s Day this year coincides with the First Sunday of Lent. I like to think of Lent being spelled as L-O-V-E, because during this season we remember and celebrate God’s love which led Him to the cross to save us from sin. Love is at the core of Christ’s teaching and, more often than not, is tried and tested.
Tell this stone to turn into a loaf. Like Jesus, we too would confront that temptation of turning something worthless to something ‘good’. If we love our family, would we provide for their needs from money gained illegally? If we love our country, would we sell our votes for candidates who would advance their own agenda once elected? Man does not live by bread alone.
I will give you all this power and splendour…do homage, then, to me and it shall be yours.’ Imagine people looking up to you and you looking down on them. Imagine treating others at your own whim! If we love others, would we do that? Shouldn't we roll up our sleeves, kneel down, and wash others’ tired and dirty feet? You must do homage to the Lord your God, him alone you must serve.
Throw yourself down from here… The desire to go beyond our limits lurks along our journey. If we have been advised to avoid certain foods because of a medical condition and still indulge in these, that’s going beyond our limits. If we argue with an already annoyed spouse or partner, that’s going beyond our and their limits! And if we abuse ourselves and others, we don’t love them do we? Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
Jesus was tempted, but He did not give in to the lures of the devil. Instead, He saw temptations as avenues to get more rooted in the Father’s love . This Lent, let us be more like Jesus who loved us till the end.
Prayer
Merciful Father, led by Your Spirit, may we also confront the many temptations that beset our love for You and others. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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