Last Sunday was the First Sunday of Lent. The Gospel for Sunday was a reading from the holy Gospel of Matthew(Mt 4:1-11) and it is about Jesus fasted for forty days and nights and was tempted. 

I would like to share with you a part of a Reflection of the Gospel from Greg Sunter, who has worked in Catholic Education  in Brisbane for many years, most recently as a member of the Religious Education team and Mission and Formation team.

Gospel Reflection

Sin and temptation are the dominant themes for this first week of Lent. Indeed, they are regular themes in the season of Lent. However, the scripture passages throughout this season allow us the opportunity to think again about these themes and perhaps reconsider some traditional understandings of them.

In the Gospel, the temptation that faces Jesus relates to his purpose and ministry – will he trust to God’s vision of the suffering servant who will bring about a change of heart in the people, or will he be the sort of Messiah that the people hoped for: a triumphant, glorious victor over all who stood in his way. He is tempted to break his self-imposed fasting, to test God’s promise of nurture and security, and to seek glory and personal power. The temptations of Jesus  are all about trusting God.

The Greek word translated as ‘sin’ in the New Testament literally means ‘miss the mark’. Its origin may lie in archery where the object was always to hit the mark; to miss the mark was to not achieve at one’s best. Jesus set about trying to redefine the Jewish notion of sin from being a transgression against God that deserves punishment to the more compassionate idea that sin is a wandering off course that can be rectified – a missing of the mark. When he encountered someone who was missing the mark, Jesus called them back into right relationship.

Lent is a season of invitation. It is an invitation to step into the desert with Jesus; to confront our own purpose and ministry and to renew our trust in God’s vision for the world and for us individually. Seen in this light, Lent is so much more than fasting from meat and giving up ice cream for a few weeks. The whole idea of fasting and sacrifice is an attempt to simplify our lives. Through simplifying our life and removing some of the daily distractions, we can share in the desert experience of Jesus and then truly celebrate the hope reborn in the Easter season.

I hope you found something valuable in this reflection on the Gospel.

Let us pray…

pray that during this time of Lent

we will try to turn our hearts in love and kindness

to you, by doing good to those around us, so that

we may become more like Jesus, your Son.

We make our prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Lenten action

Choose a way to empty yourself this week.

Lighten your wallet with charity.

Listen instead of talking.

Give your attention rather than seeking it.

Be humble when you would normally be proud.

Did you know?

Why Amen?

The word ‘amen’ was often spoken by Jesus and means ’so be it’. When we say ’Amen’ at the end of a prayer, it is as if we say: I agree, this is true.

Anita Mason

Religious Education Coordinator.