Random Thoughts on Lent 2023. 

1^st Sunday of Lent.

 So, it is now Sunday Night.   I went to mass at 7 am, went grocery shopping, grabbed a latte (something I gave up for Lent) from Dunkin Donuts using a Lenten loophole about Sundays(more on that next week), watched Bishop Robert Barron’s Sunday homily, and went to sleep for an hour before I needed to go with my husband to participate in an activity we are doing for the Diocese of Joliet.  

Actually, I’ve listened to three homilies relating to today’s readings.   Every 1^st Sunday of Lent the Gospel always talks about Jesus’s temptation in the desert.  Jesus has fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert and at the point He is at His weakness Satan comes to him and tempts him to 1. Turn stones into bread.  2. Throw himself down from the top of the Jewish 2^nd temple in Jerusalem to prove Angels will save him, 3. Get all of the kingdoms of the world instantly as long as Jesus is willing to bow down and worship Satan.  Now  Jesus denies Satan’s temptations by stating 1. “One does not live on bread alone but from every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  2. "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." 3.  "The Lord, your God shall you worship & Him alone shall you serve."    

The 1^st homily I head was from my church’s permanent deacon.     He mentioned that sin usually comes when we are alone, in the desert.  He referenced how his hard working mother, who was still hardworking until very recently (he cited an incident where he went to check on his 76 year old mother during the pandemic only to find her on the roof putting tar down & working on replacing the damaged tiles by herself).   Now, his mother has a hard time standing, seeing and is feeling useless because she can’t do much anymore at age 80.    He reminded everyone prior to Jesus’ temptation in the desert he was baptized by John the Baptist and heard from Heaven in a loud voice God call Him His “Beloved Son” and how we need to remind ourselves this is who we are now thanks to our baptism.  

The 2nd homily I heard was Bishop Robert Barron.   Now Bishop Barren reminded  us that the 1^st reading in Genesis which brings up the temptation of Eve by the serpent  God allowed her and Adam to partake of the hundreds of trees in the garden, it was only 1 that God forbade Adam and her to eat of.  Bishop Barron mentioned that God’s no is a no to a no which turns into a yes. If we put ourselves as the one who puts our own ego in the center of the world the world goes amuck.  God wants us to have sensual pleasures. But God 1st, we do not live by bread alone.   Furthermore, we are not aggrandize ourselves.  Is it wrong to have the esteem of our fellow human beings? No, because God should be the ultimate honor.    We are also not to seek out power for ourselves but to submit ourselves to the ultimate source of power and righteousness in the universe God in all things. 

Lastly, on the Hallow app I heard Fr. Mike Schmitz’s homily on the Gospel.   1^st he reminds us that Jesus faced temptation and temptation will come anywhere.   Eve was in paradise when Satan approached her and she didn't know she should walk away from this tree.  She liked the idea of being like God.   So try and find ways to walk away from it as best you can.   He cited a couple who was dating and always gave into their lustful desires.   They cited a lovers’ point they would frequent when on the way home to the woman’s apartment.   Fr. Mike just urged them to go straight or avoid that point.  The idea is to not put the trigger on for these and to make sure God’s words are on your lips when Satan comes around.  He cited a simple prayer that priests begin the Liturgy of the Hours with “God come to my assistance, Lord make haste to help me”.

God, please come to my assistance, Lord please help me get up tomorrow morning at 5 am ready to get my workday of prayer, exercise, fasting & dealing with the negative people barraging me of how badly I/the company I work for sucks when I know that it does not.