Feb

(Lent I — C) The Victory in the Desert

angfrayle on February 8th, 2010

The Lenten Sundays that precede Passion Sunday are thematically arranged in the following way:

Sundays I and II: The Victory in which the Christian is called to participate
Sundays III – V: Sin No More: To Victory through Conversion and Repentance

Below is a schedule of the Gospel readings for Year C

Date	Sundays in Lent	Gospel Theme
February 21	Sunday I	Luke 4:1-13, “The Temptation in the Desert”
February 28	Sunday II	Luke 9, 28-36, “The Transfiguration”
March 7	Sunday III	Luke 13:1-9, “Sayings on the Need to Repent”
March 14	Sunday IV	Luke 15, “The Parables of the Lost and Found”
March 21	Sunday V	John 8:1-11, “The Woman Caught in Adultery”
March 28	Passion Sunday	Luke 22:14-23:49, “The Passion According to Luke”

For the first Sunday of Lent, the Temptation in the Desert is presented for our reflection. It should remind us of the struggle against Satan which the Christian life is.

Relevant Articles

The Path of Obedience and Trust (Luke 4:1-13)

Guide to the Readings

1. After making your Sentence Flow based on Luke 4:1-13, pay attention to the following details:

(a) Desert — the desert is the place where God was expected to make his visitation on “His Day” (cf. Hosea 2:14-15). But the desert was also the place where the Devil dwells (cf. Luke 11:24; Matthew 12:43). Jesus enters the realm of the Devil and beats him in his homecourt.
(b) Jerusalem — In the Lucan gospel, it is the goal of Jesus’ ministry. When Jesus refuses to begin his work in Jerusalem with a mighty spectacle as dictated by the Devil, he was just consistently insisting on the Servant aspect of his identity.

2. Identify which passages from Deuteronomy are used by Jesus to answer the Devil’s challenges and study them in their original context.

3. Finally, compare Luke’s account of the Temptation in the Desert with that of Matthew 4:1-11: how are they similar? what are the differences?

4. In Luke 4:13, there is a note about the Devil. What do you think does it mean?

Review of the Readings

Deuteronomy 4:6-10 is a ritual that the Israelite is meant to perform when he harvests his crop in the Promised Land. He pronounces an ancient creed of Israel that summarizes how God has saved them from the slavery of Egypt. The offering of the first fruits is Israel’s response to the God who has not stopped caring for them and continues to bless their land with rain.

The second reading from Romans 10:8-13 is part of Paul’s anguished meditation over the fact that though Israel was God’s people, the privilege has been taken over by the Church, an assembly of both Jews and Gentiles. Here, Paul is underlining the fact that salvation is not far, for it is near. It is in the gospel that he proclaims; it is in “The Name” that he has preached to them.

In the Gospel reading, we find Jesus entering into battle with the Devil in this latter’s homecourt. From this experience, Jesus will emerge as the strong man who has bound up the Devil and can therefore claim for his own the Devil’s “possessions” (cf. Luke 11:21-22)

Suggestions for the Lessons

The Sundays of Lent prepare us for the renewal of our baptismal vows on Easter. The first Sunday is on Jesus’ victory over Satan, an event that is recalled in the baptismal rite when the Christian vows to reject Satan, his works and his lies. Christ the Lord has won the battle over Satan; the Christian life is the process by which the baptized make that victory his/her own. It is for this reason that in ancient times, the Christian life was presented as an “agonia”, a struggle — a wrestling match — with the Devil. On this first Sunday, we are reminded of the Christian vows: a three-fold rejection of Satan and all that he represents. I would suggest that for this first Sunday, the preacher or catechist should review the baptismal rite and focus on the part where the Christian is asked to reject Satan. The rite itself in this place is worth preaching about. From there, the preacher or catechist can proceed to explain how Christ’s victory over Satan, a victory which culminates in his Death and Resurrection, becomes the Christian’s own when he/she dies to sin so as to live in and for Christ.

Luke 4:1-13
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek

1And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the desert,

2For the space of forty days; and was tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days; and when they were ended, he was hungry.

3And the devil said to him: If thou be the Son of God, say to this stone that it be made bread.

4And Jesus answered him: It is written, that Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word of God.

5And the devil led him into a high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time;

6And he said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them.

7If thou therefore wilt adore before me, all shall be thine.

8And Jesus answering said to him: It is written: Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

9And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and he said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself from hence.

10For it is written, that He hath given his angels charge over thee, that they keep thee.

11And that in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.

12And Jesus answering, said to him: It is said: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

13And all the temptation being ended, the devil departed from him for a time.

Luke 13:1-9
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek

1And there were present, at that very time, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

2And he answering, said to them: Think you that these Galileans were sinners above all the men of Galilee, because they suffered such things?

3No, I say to you: but unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish.

4Or those eighteen upon whom the tower fell in Siloe, and slew them: think you, that they also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

5No, I say to you; but except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.

6He spoke also this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none.

7And he said to the dresser of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it done therefore: why cumbereth it the ground?

8But he answering, said to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it, and dung it.

9And if happily it bear fruit: but if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

John 8:1-11
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek

1And Jesus went unto mount Olivet.

2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him, and sitting down he taught them.

3And the scribes and the Pharisees bring unto him a woman taken in adultery: and they set her in the midst,

4And said to him: Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery.

5Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou?

6And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground.

7When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

8And again stooping down, he wrote on the ground.

9But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst.

10Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee?

11Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.

Luke 22:14-23
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek

14And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

15And he said to them: With desire I have desired to eat this pasch with you, before I suffer.

16For I say to you, that from this time I will not eat it, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

17And having taken the chalice, he gave thanks, and said: Take, and divide it among you:

18For I say to you, that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, till the kingdom of God come.

19And taking bread, he gave thanks, and brake; and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me.

20In like manner the chalice also, after he had supped, saying: This is the chalice, the new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you.

21But yet behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

22And the Son of man indeed goeth, according to that which is determined: but yet, woe to that man by whom he shall be betrayed.

23And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.