First Sunday of Lent

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On this first Sunday of Lent, the Gospel regarding temptation speaks loudly. Jesus’ humanity and divinity are on full display.

There are several lessons to be gleaned from this Gospel. First, to do His Father’s will, Jesus follows the Holy Spirit into the desert for forty days. I suspect Jesus did not want to go into the desert; however, He knew He had to do such. Similarly, I do not want to go into the desert of the Lenten journey – but know I must.

Second, Jesus is tempted with things of this world – food, power, glory. Using the wisdom of this world, Jesus would succumb to the devil’s luring offers. However, Jesus resists these temptations by using the wisdom of the world beyond.

Finally, “when the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Him for a time.” The devil is always lurking. I may be able to resist temptation at one moment, but need to constantly keep up my guard.

Spending decades in the corporate world, I was never good dealing with temptation. Very often, my focus was on amassing power, money, titles, prestige and cars. Upwardly mobile yet unfulfilled, I became a Franciscan Brother of Brooklyn, figuring it would be easy to not be lured by the trappings of this world.

The struggle continues. Whether it is my favorite Brooklyn Italian bread, the power of being elected to a Congregational position or the glory of being lauded for being a Franciscan Brother, temptations for self-satisfaction intrude. How easy it is for me to allow my desires and not the Holy Spirit to take over.

As we continue our Lenten journey into the desert, let’s you and I do our best to intentionally follow the example of Jesus by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our every choice and action. Amen.

Brother Gregory Cellini, OSF

Director of Mission, Ministry & Interfaith Dialogue

St. Francis College