Sunday Synopsis: Deliver Us from Evil!

First Sunday of Lent Year C – 9 March 2025.

Reading: Deut. 26:4-10; Responsorial Psalm 91:1-2.10-11.12-13.14-15(R.15b); Rom. 10:8-13 & Gospel Luke 4:1-13.

In the first reading, Moses recounts to the Israelites how their forebears came from Aram and became a great nation through God’s help after being ill-treated by the Egyptians. The second reading indicates that God comes through, as a helper and saviour, to those who believe in their hearts and confess the name of Jesus. The Gospel recalls how Jesus, aged 30, prayed and fasted for 40 days and nights ahead of launching his public ministry and was tempted thrice by the devil [but he] resisted. The season of Lent invites us to shun the concupiscence of the eye, the flesh, and the pride of life by depending on God while asking Him to deliver us from evil.

 Introduction

Friends in Christ, I welcome you heartily to the first Sunday of Lent. Indeed, Lent is a season of grace that invites us to adopt the traditional practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving even as we follow Jesus in the Stations of the Cross. Today, the Church wants us to reflect on Jesus’ temptation as stepping stones to overcome the devil’s ploy while we await Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday morning.

Background & Summary of the Readings

In the first reading, (Deut. 26:4-10) Moses recounts to the Israelites how their forebears came from Aram and became a great nation through God’s help after being ill-treated by the Egyptians. He brought them to the Promised Land – flowing with milk and honey. Moses brought the first fruits of the produce of the soil as a sign of gratitude to God for delivering them from evil. He commanded the people to do the same in worship of God.

The second reading (Rom. 10:8-13) indicates that God comes through, as a helper and saviour, to those who believe in their hearts and confess the name of Jesus. The epistle emphasises that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The Gospel (Luke 4:1-13) recalls how Jesus, aged 30, prayed and fasted for 40 days and nights ahead of launching his public ministry and was tempted thrice by the devil – to turn stones into bread, worship him, and throw himself down. Jesus resisted. His response was epic: “You must worship the Lord your God and serve him alone;” “Man does not live on bread alone;” and “You must not put the Lord your God to the test.”

 Pastoral Lessons

 1. Trust in God: Since the Lord delivered the people of Israel from the misery, slavery, and oppression they suffered in Egypt, His hand is not too short to deliver us (Cf. Isaiah 59:1) from our personal and communal (national) malaise if we trust him enough.

 2. Appreciate God: Just as the Israelites brought the first-fruits of the produce of the soil that God gave them as a sign of gratitude to Him for delivering them from evil, we ought to always appreciate God (offer thanksgiving) for saving us from various calamities – this is a crucial aspect of worship.

 3. Shun Concupiscence: Paul’s message that the word of God is near to you, on your lips, and in your heart invites us to avoid what St. Thomas Aquinas describes in his Summa Theologica as the causes of sin – concupiscence of the eye, concupiscence of the flesh and the pride of life taken from 1 John 2:16 by “Casting off the works of darkness” (Rom. 13:12).

 4. Shun Mammon/Manipulating the Scripture: Jesus’ temptation warns against the worship of Mammon even as it urges us to beware of those who manipulate the scripture to deceive us – after all, the devil quoted the scripture copiously to defend his defenseless thesis.

 5. Take to Spiritual Reflection: In imitation of Jesus, we are encouraged to ask God to fill us with his spirit to engage in spiritual reflection which would further expose us to use various scriptural passages to ward off evil.

Summary Lines

 1. In the first reading, Moses recounts to the Israelites how their forebears came from Aram and became a great nation through God’s help after being ill-treated by the Egyptians.

 2. The second reading drives home the message that God delivers those who believe u from their hearts that they are made righteous and confess the name of Jesus with their lips will have him as their helper.

 3. The epistle emphasises that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 4. The message of the Gospel contains the temptation of Jesus by the devil.

 5. Jesus used scripture saying: “You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.”

Conclusion

Today’s message is clear – God does not lead us into temptation (Cf. James 1:13) because he made us little less than the angels and crowned us with glory and honour (Cf. Psalm 8:5). If anything, he respects our freedom. The season of Lent invites us to shun the concupiscence of the eye, the flesh, and the pride of life by depending on God while asking Him to deliver us from evil. In the face of temptation, God’s subtle spirit is there to guide our decisions. Most times we are too noisy to hear him speak to us in the recesses of our hearts. May our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving provide the needed spiritual succour to overcome the devil in all ramifications. Have a blessed Lenten period!