1st Sunday of Lent – 03-26-2023

Father Rick’s Three Minute Homily for 1st Sunday of Lent – 03-26-2023
Matthew 4:1-11 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022623.cfm

Why Would Jesus do that?

Come on, now. Forty days is a long time without a meal. I have heard of a strict diet, but this takes the cake. How tempting to turn that stone into a nice piping hot loaf of bread dripping with butter. MMM. Now I am getting hungry, how about you?

Jesus was after something that would satisfy him more than a bite of bread. Did I say, “dripping with butter?” It’s true if the temptation isn’t enough, a little enticement is added to sweeten the deal.

That’s how the devil works. He puts a thought in our head for something he knows we want and will probably jump at immediately. Then, all we have to do is wet our lips, and our imagination takes over.

We build this story in our heads, and wola, we are sunk. Sin has entered our hearts. We took the first bite of a stone we thought was bread. But we can’t digest it; in the end, it will only harm us.

It all began with a simple thought. A thought is nothing and has no power over us until we give it some attention. We start to create a story in our imagination; before we know it, we want what we know is wrong. So acknowledge the thought and let it go, as a day of clouds goes by in seconds during a weathercast.

How do we tame this appetite that only wants to satisfy a hunger it can never satisfy? So we sacrifice ourselves or, if you like, fast for the good of someone else.

Gospel Challenge:

Talk around the family table about what you can do to make each other’s life more pleasant and less stressful.
Who could use some of your time, especially when planning something important to you?

Sacrifice becomes powerful with the embrace of Jesus when it costs us something dear to us. So lent is a beautiful time for Jesus to turn our stones into delicious bread for someone. Oh yes, don’t forget the dripping butter. So may your sacrifice be appealing to someone.

IGNITE THE FIRE

Fr. Rick Pilger, IC
www.bscchurch.com
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