First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 24
6 MARCH 2022 A.D.


Reading I
Dt 26:4-10

Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“The priest shall receive the basket from you
and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God.
Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God,
‘My father was a wandering Aramean
who went down to Egypt with a small household
and lived there as an alien.
But there he became a nation
great, strong, and numerous.
When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us,
imposing hard labor upon us,
we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,
and he heard our cry
and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
He brought us out of Egypt
with his strong hand and outstretched arm,
with terrifying power, with signs and wonders;
and bringing us into this country,
he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.
Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits
of the products of the soil
which you, O LORD, have given me.’
And having set them before the LORD, your God,
you shall bow down in his presence.”


Ps 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15.

R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
           who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
           my God in whom I trust.”
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

No evil shall befall you,
           nor shall affliction come near your tent,
For to his angels he has given command about you,
           that they guard you in all your ways.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

Upon their hands they shall bear you up,
           lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the asp and the viper;
           you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
           I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
           I will be with him in distress;
I will deliver him and glorify him.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.


Reading II
Rom 10:8-13

Brothers and sisters:
What does Scripture say?
           The word is near you,
                       in your mouth and in your heart
—that is, the word of faith that we preach—,
for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
For the Scripture says,
           No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”


Verse Before the Gospel
Mt 4:4b

One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.


Gospel
Lk 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,
to be tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days,
and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered him,
“It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”
Then he took him up and showed him
all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him,
“I shall give to you all this power and glory;
for it has been handed over to me,
and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It is written
           You shall worship the Lord, your God,
                       and him alone shall you serve.”
Then he led him to Jerusalem,
made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down from here, for it is written:
           He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,
and:
           With their hands they will support you,
           lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It also says,
           You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
When the devil had finished every temptation,
he departed from him for a time.

Overview of the Gospel:

• In this Sunday’s reading, Jesus has just come from being baptized by John the Baptist. It was
here that the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon him, and God’s voice from
heaven identified him as his beloved Son (Luke 3:21 and following).

• Immediately after this he was led by the Spirit (Mark 1:12 says he was driven) into the desert
to be tempted by Satan. His fasting for 40 days calls to mind many significant Old Testament
events that also involved 40 days—Noah in the ark (Genesis 7:12), Moses on Mt. Sinai
(Exodus 24:18), and Jonah in Nineveh (Jonah 3:4).

• Jesus’ temptation mirrors that of notable Old Testament figures (Adam, Moses, the Israelites
in the wilderness) who were also tempted. The difference is that Jesus is successful in
resisting, atoning for the failure of those who came before.

• Jesus shows that he can empathize with us in that he was subject to temptation just as we are
(see Hebrews 2:18; 4:15). He also shows us how to resist the devil.
[courtesy of Vince Contreras: "Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics."]


"A man who governs his passions is master of the world. We must either command them, or be enslaved by them. It is better to be a hammer than an anvil."  ~St. Dominic

Thanks!

You're welcome, Brother, bigsapper!

Thank you BNA

Always a pleasure, Sister, angelfire!

Bow Down in His Presence

Fr. Bramwell--always a bullseye!