HOMILY FOR THE 1ST SUNDAY IN THE LENT — YEAR C

HOMILY FOR THE 1ST SUNDAY IN THE LENT — YEAR C

HOMILY THEME: ON TEMPTATION…

BY: Fr. Arthur Ntembula

Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13

When we go astray, God does not seek to destroy us. When we succumb to temptations, He does not show His anger toward us but seeks to redeem us. On our journey of faith, we sometimes struggle with temptation. At times, we feel vulnerable and incapable of resisting it. We give in and fail to uphold our friendship with God. We fall into sin, but God still seeks to redeem us.

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Jesus came and lived among us. He was also tempted but never succumbed. His resilience shows us that it is possible to be in an environment of temptation, yet not give in. Just as he did, we too can demonstrate the same strength because we are stronger than anything that can lead us into sin. Today’s gospel is evidence of this.

We cannot run away from temptations, but we also cannot seek them out. Remember that Jesus did not enter the desert to be tempted, but to pray. We cannot test our strength by placing ourselves directly in the midst of temptations. We are vulnerable, and we can fall. However, Jesus’ response to temptation in the desert helps us recognize that within us lies the authority to overcome whatever drives us away from the presence of God.

The temptations of Jesus reveal key ways in which the devil seeks to draw us to himself: first, he attempts to persuade us to use spiritual power or authority for our own benefit. For instance, people serving in the church may be tempted to exploit their positions of trust for personal gain. Next, the devil deceives us into worshiping him through things such as money, fame, possessions, status, and power. Additionally, he can use our moments of crisis to ensnare us. It is when Jesus is very hungry that the devil tempts him with bread. When you reach the end of your rope, he offers something that seems to be a solution to your predicament. Jesus confronts the devil directly to overcome him. We, too, possess the power to resist temptation by remembering and honouring our covenant with God.

Temptations, once embraced, become breeding grounds for sin. The devil brings them to draw us to himself. The good news, however, is that God has given us the power to resist temptation, no matter how it manifests or the size it takes. We pray that Christ walks with us in our desert situations, for if left alone, we may fall and perish in sin.

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