FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
In today's readings, we learn how
two very different beings — Eve and Jesus Christ — respond to the Devil's
temptations.
In the first reading from Genesis,
we are reminded of the story of Adam and Eve and their taking from the Tree of
Knowledge. Eve is easily convinced by the Serpent to take a bite of an apple,
for
"The woman saw that the tree
was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable
for gaining wisdom."
And in today's Gospel passage, we
read about Jesus' suffering in the desert and the temptations he faced at the
hand of the Devil. When the Devil brings him to the temple in the holy city and
questions whether God will save him, he answers:
“Again it is written,
You shall not put the Lord, your
God, to the test.”
Both Eve and Jesus are offered
promises of greatness and comfort. However, there is a fundamental difference
in the responses Eve and Jesus chose to take. Eve sought to gain the wisdom of
God. Jesus chose rather to trust in His wisdom.
And in the same way the Devil
tempted Jesus with magnificent kingdoms and Eve with knowledge, we are faced
with temptations that seek to separate us from God. Many of us obsess over the
accumulation of money or desire romance. We allow ourselves to focus on the
latest television show or movie. We define ourselves by augmenting ourselves
outwardly with the latest label or trending technology. Often — and I myself am
guilty of this — we give into those temptations, at the expense of our own
spiritual growth. We focus on the outside without looking inward. And so I ask
you when was the last time you considered your relationship with God?
For most of us it is when we are
suffering or afraid. We begin to bargain. We would all do well to take a lesson
from Jesus. Certainly he faced suffering, his own and that of others, let he
chose to face his pain with faith and forgiveness. He looked inward and upward.
It is important to remember that
these are not times for us to question God. They are not tests of our faith or
His love. Rather, they are times for us to become reflective and purge what is
unimportant. If we shed the trappings of convenience, status and superficiality,
we can better know ourselves and God.
Lent, a time of fasting and
abstinence, offers this chance to learn to grow.. We deny ourselves during this
time to bring ourselves closer to God and to gain appreciation for all that
He's given us. If we learn to find God
in these moments during Lent, we can gain the strength to learn to find Him at
all times.
Danielle Lacey works in Marketing and Communication.
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