Homily: First Sunday of
Lent (A)
Temptation and Divine Grace in Lent (B)
Fr. Udoekpo Michael Ufok
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Gen 2:7-9; 3:1-7
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Ps 51:3-6, 12-13, 17
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Rom 5:12-19
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Matt 4:1-11
Ash
Wednesday introduced us into another liturgical season: the season of Lent. It is
a season we commemorate the forty days of Jesus’ prayer, fasting, and temptation
in the desert. It is a time for prayer, fasting, alms giving, and spiritual renewal.
We have so many things to pray for this Lent season, including ourselves, our families,
world peace, a renewal of charitable life, a heart of forgiveness, love, hope, and
trust in God’s grace, which is manifested in Christ at all times. The length of
God’s grace during Lent is immeasurable.
Lent
is a time we learn again to say yes to God, to manage our temptation and trials,
and to learn from Christ, who resists the temptations of inordinate wealth, power,
and position in today’s Gospel account. Lent is a favorable time for a change of
heart. It is a time to closely examine ourselves. It is a time to rebuild what is
broken in us, both socially and spiritually. It is a time to restore, take retreat,
repair—especially our spiritual houses—and repent from sin, which alienates us from
the love of God.
Socially,
and in light of Pope Francis’s well known apostolic exhortation The Gospel of
Joy, perhaps Lenten season provides us a golden opportunity to reach out to
our neighbors, to renew our relationship with the poor, and to strive to include
the needy, the weak, the voiceless, and the marginalized in the political and economic
plans of our lands. It is a time we reassure ourselves that God is near us, that
he accompanies us on our journeys. It is a time we pray and meditate intensely with
Psalm 51, which today’s response says, “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.”
It takes humility to pray Psalm 51. How many of us sincerely recognize and accept
that we are sinners? Lent is a time we humbly contemplate Scripture.
What
about that first reading (Gen 2:7-9; 3:1-7), the second creation account? It’s a
reminder that God, our creator, though transcendent, is immanent. Like a potter,
he created us from clay to love him and to serve him, in and through one another.
He is a farmer who farms with us. He walks with us as he did with Adam and Eve in
the garden. He is the source of the tree of life, which we must not make use of
in obedience to the Lord. God expects us to stay away from that which is forbidden:
sin and temptation brought by any form of serpent. The Genesis account reminds us
of the importance of relearning obedience, that covenant of love, justice, righteousness,
peace, and trusting more and more in God’s grace to overcome the temptations of
our time—of which there are many.
In testimony
to God’s grace in regard to obedience, Saint Paul says to the Romans in today’s
second reading, “For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made
sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” (Rom 5:19).
It does not matter how grave our disobedience might have been in the past.
God’s grace through Christ’s obedience empowers us now and always to resist temptation,
as did Christ himself in the Gospel account following his baptism (Matt 4:1-11).
In Matthew’s
account, following his baptism, Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by Satan three times: “If you are the Son of God, command these
stones to become loaves of bread. . . . If you are the Son of God, throw
yourself down . . . All these I will give you, if you will fall down and
worship me” (Matt 4:1-8). The good news is that, unlike the Israelites during their
journey through the wilderness to the promised land in the books of Exodus and Numbers,
Christ did not give into any of these desert temptations. What can we learn
this Lenten season? In Christ, we have a reminder of how to behave in the face of
temptations, trials, and challenges!
None
of us is immune to temptation. If Christ could be tempted, who then are we? Lent
provides us with food for thought on the important subjects of temptation, resistance,
and God’s grace. As we journey through this Lent, let us consider what trials
and temptations we face in our homes, families, farms, factories, and in other public
and private places. Secondly, let us turn and pray for an increase in grace, which
enables us to imitate Christ in overcoming our daily challenges as Christian pilgrims
on earth!
Reflection Questions:
1. What is the meaning of Lent for you?
2. What major trials and temptations are you currently
working hard to overcome?
3. Have you ever been a source of temptation or scandal
or mislead any member of your faith community?
