Reading 1
Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7
The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became a living being.
Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow
that were delightful to look at and good for food,
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
“Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?”
The woman answered the serpent:
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman:
“You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil.”
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.
Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17
Responsorial PsalmR. (cf. 3a)
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R, Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R, Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R, Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R, Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Reading 2
Rom 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19
Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those who did not sin
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,
who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one, the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned.
For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation;
but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.
or
Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.
Gospel
Mt 4:1-11
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command that these stones become loaves of bread.”
He said in reply,
“It is written:
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God.”
Then the devil took him to the holy city,
and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus answered him,
“Again it is written,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you,
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.”
At this, Jesus said to him,
“Get away, Satan!
It is written:
The Lord, your God, shall you worship
and him alone shall you serve.”
Then the devil left him and, behold,
angels came and ministered to him.
Meditation: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
“You certainly will not die!” (Genesis 3:4)
What a study in contrasts! In the first reading, we see Adam and Eve, surrounded by all the beauty of Eden, giving in to the serpent’s temptations. But in the Gospel, we see Jesus, in the harsh wilderness, standing fast against the tempter’s deceits.
The contrast is even greater when we see that Jesus faced the same temptations that Adam and Eve faced. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, while Jesus chose to not turn stones into bread. The serpent convinced our first parents that God was not dealing honestly with them, while Jesus trusted God and refused to test his faithfulness. Swayed by the false promise of power and grandeur, Adam and Eve fell into sin, while Jesus chose to submit himself to the Father in humility.
Marvelously&mash;and a wonderful blessing for us&mash;Jesus was able to resist where Adam and Eve failed. He, the eternal Son of God, reversed the pattern that had plagued us ever since that first sin: He resisted. He rebuked the devil. He triumphed. Not even for a second did he waver. This victory in the wilderness was just a foretaste of the complete victory he would win for all of us on the cross.
Today and every day, Jesus stands with us, offering us a share in his victory. He is right beside us every time temptation comes our way, telling us how important we are to God. He is with us, urging us to hold fast, because he doesn’t want to see us separated from God. What’s more, he is pouring divine grace into us, giving us the power to say “no.” We can stand firm if we let Jesus’ love fill us!
So tell your Father that you want to stay close to him today. When you feel tempted, turn to the One who conquered sin on the cross. Believe that Jesus can make you steadfast. He who promised&mash;he who triumphed&mash;is faithful!
“Come, Jesus, and free me from the temptations that threaten my relationship with you. Strengthen me with your love so that I can fight and win.”
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Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Psalm 51:3-6, 12-13,17; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11)
1. As we begin Lent this year the Church, in its first reading, takes us back to the origin of sin in the world, and the temptation we are still part of today: to “be like gods.” In what ways are there still areas in your life where you believe you really know what’s best and, thus, struggle to entrust these areas to God’s providential care?
2. In the responsorial psalm, David’s great prayer of repentance, he cries out, “A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me” (Psalm 51:12). What do you think this means? Where in your relationship with God could you use a more “steadfast spirit”?
3. In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul tells us that through Jesus Christ “acquittal and life came to all.” All of us have been reconciled to God through Christ’s “gift.” He goes on to tell us that we have received “the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification.” What steps can you take this Lent to receive more fully these wonderful gifts?
4. In the Gospel, Christ reminds us of the power of the “word of God”—the Scriptures—in defeating temptation. During this Lent, what commitment are you prepared to make regarding your prayer time and Scripture reading? Are you willing to be accountable to someone for this commitment?
5. Christ also reminds us that we are to worship and serve God alone! Are there things (self-gratification, control, possessions, people, job, recreation, etc.) in your life that you can value more than your relationship with the Lord? How could you use this Lent to help you change your priorities in certain areas?
6. The meditation offers this advice in overcoming sin in our lives: “When you feel tempted, turn to the One who conquered sin on the cross. Believe that Jesus can make you steadfast. He who promised—he who triumphed—is faithful!” How often do you turn to the Lord when you are tempted to sin? During the upcoming weeks of Lent, make a greater effort to turn to the Lord during times of temptation and ask for the power of the cross to overcome them. Share the results of doing this with a friend or family member.
7. Take a few minutes now to pray that you would be strengthened by the Lord to overcome the temptations that come at you during the day. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
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