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First Sunday of Lent (Year C) – 9th March 2025

First Sunday of Lent (Year C) – 9th March 2025

Quick Glance Summary

  • Theme: Life’s Challenge & Temptation
  • Key Message: Be true to yourself. Keep connected to God. Resist the temptations that pull you in other directions.
  • First Reading (Deuteronomy 26:4-10): Moses instructs the Israelites to remember God’s part in their life story as they bring their offering to God. God delivered them from Egypt.
  • Psalm (Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15): A song of trust in God's protection that echoes the third temptation of today’s Gospel passage.
  • Second Reading (Romans 10:8-13): Paul emphasizes how the story of Jesus changes us all (regardless of identity). His resurrection means that the story of our lives does not end but leads to eternal life.
  • Gospel (Luke 4:1-13): Jesus, led by the Spirit, fasts for forty days and resists the devil's temptations by affirming His trust in God's Word.

Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

"Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry.
The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written: One does not live on bread alone.’
Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, ‘I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and Him alone shall you serve.’
Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’
When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time."

Overview of the Gospel

Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, retreats into the desert for forty days, where He faces temptations from the devil. Despite physical hunger and vulnerability, Jesus resists three significant temptations:

  1. Physical Sustenance: The devil urges Jesus to turn a stone into bread to satisfy His hunger. Jesus responds by quoting Scripture, emphasizing that life is sustained by more than physical bread.
  2. Earthly Power: Offered authority over all kingdoms in exchange for worshiping the devil, Jesus rejects this, affirming that only God is worthy of worship.
  3. Testing God’s Protection: The devil tempts Jesus to prove His divine identity by throwing Himself from the Temple's pinnacle. Jesus refuses, insisting that faith does not require testing God.

Each response of Jesus is rooted in Scripture, demonstrating His complete trust in the Father. This passage invites us to reflect on our own struggles with temptation and how we can rely on God's Word and grace to overcome them.

Connecting the Gospel to Today’s Context

Each of us has a sense of purpose planted within us, guiding our desires, our aspirations, and our actions. That sense is God’s presence still at work within us. Yet, despite this inner calling (from God), many things can obscure our sense of direction. Temptations arise - distractions that offer temporary satisfaction, possessions or achievements that seem to define our worth, talents and abilities that we believe will make us more impressive. When we chase these fleeting rewards, we risk losing sight of who we are meant (by God) to be. We stray from our true path, and our lives can veer off course. In doing so, we contradict our own essence - the very person we are called to become. In doing so, we turn from God. 

Such temptations are a universal human experience. In a world driven by materialism, power, and self-promotion, Jesus’ rejection of these temptations speaks directly to us.

  • The temptation of material comfort: Many are preoccupied with wealth, convenience, and self-indulgence. Jesus reminds us that "One does not live on bread alone." True fulfilment comes from seeking God first.
  • The temptation to test God: At times, we seek signs and guarantees from God before trusting Him fully. Jesus teaches us that genuine faith does not demand proof but rests in trust and obedience.
  • The temptation of power and influence: Social status, ambition, and control can lead people away from humility. Jesus' refusal to worship anything other than God challenges us to prioritise faith over personal gain.

The customary practices of Lent - prayer, fasting, almsgiving - are meant to turn us away from the false and short-term satisfactions of life. Such practices turn us towards a way of life that is truer to ourselves and more faithful to God. “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”

Reflection Questions & Responses

  • Who or what groups might find these readings especially helpful
    • Those facing personal struggles: Jesus' resistance to temptation offers strength to those battling sin, addiction, or discouragement.
    • Young people making life decisions: The readings encourage discernment and trust in God's plan.
    • Those in leadership: A call to integrity, resisting the lure of power and self-interest.
    • People preparing for Easter: A reminder that Lent is a time of personal reflection on our life direction and a time to make spiritual connection with God.
  • What human weaknesses do they address, and what virtues do they aim to strengthen?
    • Weaknesses: Temptation, self-reliance, materialism, pride, and doubt.
    • Virtues: Trust in God, humility, self-discipline, obedience, and faithfulness.
  • What is the feeling tone of each reading?
    • Deuteronomy: Confirming identity by remembering God's past faithfulness.
    • Psalm: Comforting and protective, offering reassurance of God’s presence.
    • Romans: Hopeful and inclusive, highlighting salvation for all who believe.
    • Gospel: Challenging yet victorious, revealing Jesus’ strength in overcoming temptation.
  • Which saints or well-known figures exemplify the message of each reading?

Readings for the Day

First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:4-10

"The priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God. Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil, and oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me." Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him.”

Second Reading: Romans 10:8-13

"But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.""

Final Encouragement

As we begin Lent, we recall how Christ faced temptation as he walked the path of life. His victory involved turning away from temptation and towards his life’s purpose. He is with us now, encouraging us to stay true to our own personal life’s purpose. 

May our connection with the Lord Jesus, especially during Lent, bring us renewal, strength and growth in what God is calling us to do and to be. 

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