We are now in the Season of Lent which began on Ash Wednesday this past week and will last for 40 days, not counting Sundays, ending on Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil.
NOTE: During Lent we do NOT sing the Alleluia. Instead we sing “Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!” We do NOT sing the Alleluia again until Easter Sunday. Here is a link to the Gospel Acclamations for Lent: http://www.mattretz.com/ Each of the 5 weeks has a music sample so that you can hear the Acclamation in context.
The Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday is “Be Merciful, O Lord” Psalm 51.
Lent is a time of repentance and of mending our own relationship with God. This is when we look at ourselves as God would see us and recognize the behaviors that are not pleasing to God and try to correct them, when we turn to God for help to correct our faults. This is a time for caring for those who are in need through giving and prayer just as Jesus helped those around him during this time leading up to his passion. By the time Easter arrives we should feel very happy and very much closer to God! As Christ is resurrected, we too shall be reborn into our Christian baptism at Easter. Easter is the most important celebration of our faith. We immerse ourselves in the mystery of Christ’s dying and rising, by which we are all freed from our sin that separates us from God.
Children need to experience Lent too, and begin understanding what the Lenten journey is about and how it changes us each year! Adults need to teach them about Lenten practices such as the giving up of some bad behavior during Lent, which can remain a permanent change after Lent, and helping others who are less fortunate and praying often. They should be encouraged to eliminate a behavior that is displeasing to God rather than just giving up candy, or T.V. as a temporary change as soon as they are capable of discerning the difference in types of behavior. For my son that was a year or two ago when he could understand the difference between behaviors AND commit to a change. He still requires daily reminders of his Lenten promises. Candy and T.V. are not sinful behaviors of themselves, unless you are gluttonous or this behavior prevents you from fulfilling your responsibility. Then it would be wholly appropriate to give up candy and T.V. and that sacrifice should be permanent at least in a greatly reduced quantity. If you can successfully change a behavior for 40 days you can permanently change a behavior thereafter. With God all things are possible!
Children should be encouraged to pray every day (not just during Lent) thanking God for God’s help and his healing and forgiving grace in their lives and simply thanking God for a great day or something special that occurred and asking for help for others etc.! A good prayer for the children to say during Lent is the Act of Contrition (especially when they fail to keep their Lenten promises for change). It is also good to encourage them to say the Rosary each day. They can say one decade with the beginning prayers. Saying the Rosary each day is a great family devotional activity!
The readings this Sunday concern the relationship between man and God, the created and the Creator. In the first reading we are in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and the most cunning of all animals, the serpent. The serpent has been likened to the devil. He doesn’t tell a complete lie or a complete truth but half truths and half lies which are the basis for successful deception. It is true, for instance, that if Adam and Eve eat of the fruit from the tree of knowledge they will see things quite differently; however, their being “like gods” knowing all and not dying turned out to be quite wrong!
In the Gospel reading Jesus is being tempted by the devil, again with half truths and half lies. But Jesus has firm faith and belief in God and denies the temptations of the devil, quoting the scriptures concerning our unique relationship with God. Jesus rebukes the many offers of riches and power that are offered to him by the devil and Jesus sends him away. Real power comes from God and the only one truth is not a something but a SOMEONE, Jesus the Christ.
It is important for us to learn to recognize half truths that might lead us into sin. It is very important for us to acknowledge the difference between man and God and to acknowledge God’s uniqueness. It is important for us to remember that God specially created us with love so that we can love Him, and to serve Him and live in happiness for eternity in Heaven with Him. We should deny promises of material wealth, power and glory that do not come from God. We should have faith that God will provide what we need, always, for we do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God!
Jesus warns us not to become dependant on possessions, money and power. If this happens we begin to worship material possessions rather than God from whom all good things come! Sometimes people want more than they need and they care more about what they have than about others. Jesus teaches us that the most important commandment is to love God and to love one another as He loves us. The love of material wealth and earthly power can inhibit our compassion and love for our brothers and sisters on earth and can derail our true purpose: created with love by God, to love God, to serve God and to spend eternity in happiness with God.
Jesus was tempted as we are tempted. Like Jesus we have the Spirit of God to help us to do what is right. Like Jesus we can tell Satan to “Leave me alone!”