This Sunday is the First Sunday of Lent. The Opening Prayer (Collect) asks that during Lent we “may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ.” I think this is a good aim for our Lenten reflection. What are the riches hidden in Christ? How do I learn what they are and what they mean? We are talking about the Paschal Mystery of Christ which we can uncover more deeply in Scripture and in prayer. We are aided by the disciplines of fasting and almsgiving as we perform our Lenten practices for this year. What do the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ mean for people today? What do they mean in my life today? This is a momentous question, but Lent calls us to find time and space to do this reflective work.
Today, we hear the story of Jesus at the beginning of his ministry going into the desert for 40 days. Mt 4:1-11. He is tempted by the devil to prove he has divine powers. Instead, Jesus is true to his mission and does not give in to temptation. Jesus is following God’s plan. In this time of Lent, we ask ourselves, how am I, or how am I not, following God’s plan for my life? What is God's plan for me?
The Preface says that “by overturning all the snares of the ancient serpent, [Jesus] taught us to cast out the leaven of malice.” What is the “leaven of malice”? Malice is hatred, spite, cruelty. It can work like yeast “infecting” all the dough. It can be countered with kindness, respect, and love. How can I work to fight malice?
The Prayer after Communion tells us that the Eucharist nourishes faith, increases hope, and strengthens charity. We have learned that “one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Mt 4:4. May the Table of the Word and the Table of the Eucharist sustain us and lead us to a deeper relationship with God this Lent.
