Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today’s Gospel, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. We hear that Christ fasted for 40 days in the desert and was very hungry at the end of this desert journey and fast. In the same way that the devil tempted Jesus at his weakest and most vulnerable, the devil tempts us when we are at our weakest and most vulnerable.
Particularly for many of us, it is in times of trials and tribulations in our lives. When we are ill or someone we love is ill. When we have been hurt or someone we love has been hurt. When we desire the perishable treasures of this world rather than the treasures of heaven that Jesus offers that lead to eternal life.
Therefore, it is important for us to fortify our spiritual and prayer life to strengthen us and give us the courage to overcome sin and temptations. In spiritual warfare, we have to rely on spiritual weapons (prayers, fasting, and almsgiving) in our fight against the devil and his minions.
And so, it is important for us to keep these spiritual weapons at the ready because the devil is relentless in his pursuit of leading souls away from the love and mercy of God. Let us use the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to fight against the snares of devil.
Fortunately, we are never alone because we have our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by our side in battle, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph the Terror of Demons, and all the angels and saints. We only need to do our part: turn to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and take up our cross daily and come follow him this Lent and beyond.
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Gospel of the Day (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 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.
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