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Sunday, 21st February 2010
First Sunday of Lent
Luke 4:1-5, 7-9, 12Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert, for forty days being put to the test by the devil. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the devil said to him, ‘If you are Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: Human beings live not on bread alone.’
Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world. ‘Do homage, then, to me, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says: You must do homage to the Lord your God, him alone you must serve.’
Then he led him to Jerusalem and set him on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are Son of God,’ he said to him, ‘throw yourself down from here.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’
TODAY'S POINTERS ON GOD'S WORD
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- During Jesus’ temptations, He was first tested on His basic needs for food; i.e. hunger. Then, He was tested on worldly possessions, and finally on pride, that He is the Son of God, and that God the Father will never let Him be harmed.
- These temptations are not evil in themselves. It is when we give in to such temptations and let them control us that we weaken our relationship with the Lord.
- This Lent, let us resolve, by the grace of God, to be more fully aware of how different temptations can distract and draw us away from living in God’s ways.
Sun 21 st Feb 2010
1st Sunday of LentDeut. 26:4-10;
Ps. 90(91): 1-2,10-11,12-13,14-15; Rom. 10:8-13; Lk. 4:1-13 (Ps Wk )In today’s Gospel a hungry Jesus is tempted by the devil. It’s interesting how in English the word “evil” is in the word “devil.” So we humbly pray in the Lord’s Prayer “save us from evil”. Or as one translation has it “save us from the evil one.”
One way to counter the devil’s influence is to practise fasting — giving up certain foods and drinks for an extended period of time.
An excellent book “Fasting” by Jentezen Franklin (see his website) has many stories of people who were helped by fasting: sick people healed, addictions broken, family problems solved.
Franklin describes how fasting is good for our bodies and minds: it spring-cleans the mind and helps get rid of toxins from the body.
We have more motivation for fasting when we do it for a special purpose: to pray for a sick person, or to help others by what we save from giving up something.
Like a 14 year old boy named Tommy. Each day at school, Tommy usually bought a soft drink to have with his lunch. But during Lent he drank only water, and the money he saved went into the “Lent box” to help poor people.
Muslims fast each year during Ramadam, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. They take it more seriously than we Christians take Lent.
Dear Jesus, You who fasted for forty days in the desert, please give us the motivation to do a little bit of fasting right through this Lent.
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