March 1 - First Sunday in Lent: Overcoming Temptation

 

First Reading Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Eve and Adam eat from the tree that was forbidden to them by God.

Responsorial Psalm   Psalm 51:3-4,5-6,12-13,17
A prayer for mercy

Second Reading   Romans 5:12-19
Through the obedience of Jesus, many will be made righteous.

Gospel Reading
Matthew 4:1-11

 

Today on the 1^st Sunday of Lent we are taken into the desert. When Jesus was baptized he realized his new identity (of being God’s Son) and the mission for which God had sent him (to save mankind through the way of the Cross). Now in the desert the devil tries to test both Jesus’ Identity and Mission. The devil is trying to make Jesus doubt of His identity as the divine Son and propose three easy ways to achieve His Mission. The first temptation is the proposal to give into “pleasure”instead of the Cross. The second temptation is the proposal to be addicted topower and popularity and the third temptation is the proposal to be greedy forwealth. Jesus did not displease God and loose his Sonship. He chose the narrow road of the Cross to bring us salvation.