First Sunday of Lent

1^stSunday of Lent Year C 2019:

This is the first Sunday of the season of Lent.  These 40 days are meant to be a spring time in our faith.  Hopefully the weather outside will keep getting warm.  Hopefully, the grass and trees will become green, the flowers will come back again.  The same is true of our annual season of Lent.  It’s a chance for new life to grow and flourish within our hearts and lives. I pray that this season of self-denial will be a wonderful season of growth for our whole parish community.

Every year on the first Sunday of Lent, we hear of Jesus’s temptation in the desert.  The story begins in an interesting way.  It says that Jesus was “filled with the Holy Spirit”.  Jesus is able to make it through all the temptations in the desert because he is filled with the Holy Spirit.  Let’s all make a resolution to pray to the Holy Spirit this week as we begin our journey of Lent.  Holy Spirit, come to us.  Fill us with your power.  We are journeying into the desert of Lent.  Keep us safe from the poison of Sin.  Fill us with power to overcome temptations.  May these 40 days of Lent help us to grow in our faith.

I also think this reading helps us to think about how to overcome temptations in our own lives.  Now, if you never have a problem with temptations of any kind, if you have perfect will power, then no need to pay attention to the rest of the homily. But, for me, willpower has always been a challenge.  So, I’ve been reading up on willpower.  Studies have shown that willpower works quite a bit like a muscle.  It can help us to be strong.  But, it can also wear out.  Willpower can be weak, but by exercising it, willpower can get stronger. 

This is really good news.  Willpower is not a set commodity.  You might think: I just don’t have willpower.  Well, the good news is that your willpower can grow and change. 

This is one of the reasons that I really like Lent.  It’s like a chance to boost our willpower. That’s why I would recommend that you take up some kind of practice that might help you where you think you have a challenge in your willpower.  Can’t say no to food?  Give up your favorite food for Lent.  Trouble with responsibility with drinking?  Give up alcohol for Lent.  Internet causes you problems: give up Twitter.  Our Lenten fasts can help us to charge up our willpower reserves.  So, where do you need to grow?

Now, what do we do when we are tempted?  Usually, I just sort of grin and bear it.  I might just try to avoid the thing.  I might just say “no” in my mind a million times.  But, Jesus shows us a different path.  For each of the temptations from the devil he has a response which unwraps the lie of the devil.  Notice, each temptation has a sliver of truth.  If you are the Son of God, command this stone.  Of course, Jesus could command the stone, but Jesus replies that there are more important things than food.  Second, the devil says he can give power and glory, which certainly seems true if you pay attention to the world around us.  But, Jesus says that glory and power belong to God. Throw yourself down, the angels will catch you.  Again, that is likely true.  But, Jesus responds, you shall not tempt the Lord.

This is a really important point when thinking about temptations and willpower.  All too often, we are quickly tempted, and we react without thinking things through. But, if we are able to respond in a healthy way to each temptation, we will see our willpower muscles getting stronger.  

This is another great reason for Lent.  It helps us to work on our reasons for overcoming temptations. Ice cream is yummy.  Yes that’s true, but I’m saying no to sweets so that I can grow closer to God.  I need to fight this person on Twitter who is saying dumb things.  True, these might be dumb things, why not offer up a prayer for that person instead.  This person has a great house and car, I’m jealous.  True it might be a nice house, but I’m going to give up jealous thoughts and just remember how amazing God has been to me.  

So here are the three things from this week’s mass. Number 1, pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that this season of Lent will be a great one.  Number 2, willpower can grow and get stronger, so focus in on where you need to grow this year.  Number 3, Jesus answered all the temptations with a good response.  So, be sure to think through the responses to your temptations.  Let’s pray that God will fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we can always be strong in the face of temptations, not only during this season of Lent, but through the rest of our lives as well.