Sunday, February
17, 2002
1st Sunday of Lent
1st Reading: Gen
2:7-9; 3:1-7
Yahweh God formed
Man, dust drawn from the clay, and breathed into his nostrils a breath
of life and Man became alive with breath. God planted a garden in Eden
in the east and there he placed Man whom he had created. Yahweh God caused
to grow from the ground every kind of tree that is pleasing to see and
good to eat, also 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 crafty of all the wild creatures that Yahweh God had made. He
said to the woman, "Did God really say: You must not eat from any
tree in the garden?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may
eat the fruit of the trees in the garden, but of the fruit of the tree
that is in the middle of the garden God said: You must not eat, and you
must not touch it or you will die." The serpent said to the woman,
"You will not die, but God knows that the day you eat it, your eyes
will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil."
The woman saw that the fruit was good to eat, and pleasant to the eyes,
and ideal for gaining knowledge. She took its fruit and ate it and gave
some to her husband who was with her. He ate it. Then their eyes were
opened and both of them knew they were naked. So they sewed leaves of
a fig tree together and made themselves loincloths.
2nd Reading: Rom 5:12-19 (or Rom 5:12, 17-19)
Brothers and sisters, sin entered the world through one man and through
sin, death, and later on death spread to all humankind, because all sinned.
As long as there was no law, they could not speak of disobedience, but
sin was already in the world. This is why from Adam to Moses death reigned
among them, although their sin was not disobedience as in Adam's case
- this was not the true Adam, but foretold the other who was to come.
Such has been the fall, but God's gift goes far beyond. Multitudes die
because of the fault of one man, but how much more does the grace of God
spread when the gift he granted reaches the multitudes, from this unique
man Jesus Christ. The gift of God more than compensated for sin. The disobedience
that brought condemnation was of one sinner, whereas the grace of God
brings forgiveness to a world of sinners. If death reigned through the
disobedience of one and only one person, how much more will there be a
reign of life for those who receive the grace and the gift of true righteousness
through the one person, Jesus Christ.
Just as one transgression brought sentence of death to all, so, too, one
rehabilitation brought pardon and life to all; and as the disobedience
of only one made many sinners, so the obedience of one person allowed
a multitude to be made just and holy.
Gospel: Mt 4:1-11
At
that time, the Spirit led Jesus into the desert that he be put to the
test by the devil. After spending forty days and nights without food,
Jesus was hungry.
Then the devil came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God,
order these stones to turn into bread." But Jesus answered, "Scripture
says: one does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from
the mouth of God."
Then the devil took Jesus to the holy city, set him on the highest wall
of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw
yourself down, for scripture says, God has given orders to his angels
about you. Their hands will hold you up lest you hurt your foot against
a stone." Jesus answered, "But scripture also says: You shall
not put to the test the Lord your God."
Then the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the
nations of the world in all their greatness and splendor. And he said,
"All this I will give you, if you kneel and worship me." Then
Jesus answered, "Be off, Satan! Scripture says: worship the Lord
your God and serve him alone."
Then the devil left him, and angels came to serve him.
Commentary
The desert in modern life is separation from our usual diversions and
ways of escaping. "We do not live on bread alone," says Jesus.
If I fasted from some of my daily bread of TV, radio, aimless reading,
phone calls or whatever, if I let the emptiness be there and stayed with
it, would I find some other thing to live on? To enter the desert is to
accept that there is no quick fix solution, no wonder-fruit that will
transform my life: the right clothes, the super-vitamins, the self-discovery
seminar, the not-to-be-missed book. God has no gimmicks to offer; all
has been given and said in Jesus. The desert, as Jesus found, is a difficult
place but strengthening for those who sit it out. To remove some of my
props gives me the opportunity to drink from deeper sources of motivation,
and to discover the prayer I need to pray.