From Our Pastor's Desk
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From Our Pastor's Desk
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My dear brothers and sisters this Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent and I would like to invite you to reflect on what tempts you the most? How does God help you overcome temptation? From the gospel we realize that just after the glory of the hour of baptism, Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan. Our life is a journey with the Lord. Let us not doubt that the devil tempts us every day as he tempts Jesus here.
The devil never offers us sin as something destructive. Rather, he always presents us with something bad in a good likeness. In the first reading, the serpent offers the woman the forbidden fruit, emphasizing that by eating it she would become wise. Jesus is very hungry when the devil dares him to change the stones into bread. In the same way he entices us to satisfy our inordinate cravings for food, drink, and sexual pleasure. Jesus rejects the devil's offer because he gives more importance to attending to the word of God the Father than eating. Following him, we must remember the need for moderation in matters of appetite. The devil not only tempts our physical needs but also our deepest anxieties. Every human person wants to make sure that God is there to save them when they feel hopeless. In situations that demand extreme personal sacrifice, we Christians expect Him to protect us. A woman remembers how she felt empty and lost when she received news that her two brothers had been in a car accident. The crash killed one and seriously injured the other. She had no inner peace until she received the consolation that God allows these upheavals to produce something better. In the second temptation the devil tempts Jesus to kill himself to assure himself of the love of God the Father. But Jesus knows that the Father's love is infinite and that the Father always cares for him. Finally, the demon tempts Jesus with power. He says that he will grant him sovereignty over the world in exchange for a simple act of worship. But Jesus knows that power sought for its own sake only corrupts. We must resolve that whatever power we have will be used for the betterment of others, never to harm them. During times of temptation, we should know that we are not alone. The spirit of God is with us, we have the holy scriptures at our disposal. May the Holy Spirit give us strength. May God bless our desire to do his will. Let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God in every temptation and tribulation as we seek for strength and grace in prayer. In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen Fr. Paschal Chester, SVD. Comments are closed.
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