by Fr. Tommy Lane
We received ashes on our forehead when Lent began on Wednesday. In Scripture, ashes are a sign of repentance for sin. Receiving ashes reflects our attitude during Lent: we want to repent of sin. But ashes and repenting of sin are not the end of the story. We received the ashes in the sign of a cross reminding us that we are saved from our sin by Jesus’ death for us on Calvary. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the end of the story, not our sin. Our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection during the Easter Vigil is the completion of the story that began with our reception of ashes on Ash Wednesday. Lent is our personal journey from sin to new life in Jesus’ resurrection. In recent years (2018, 2019), over 300,000 people have walked the Camino Way to Compostela every year to find answers to issues in their lives, or to work out the meaning of their lives, or to discern a path forward for their lives. That journey of about 500 miles on foot to the tomb of St. James in Compostela can take almost as long as Lent to complete. Lent is not just for 300,000 people but for everyone. We do not have to walk 500 miles on foot, but like the pilgrims who go to the tomb of St. James in Compostela every year, we too want to be closer to Jesus at the end of Lent when we spiritually gather around Jesus’ tomb at Easter to celebrate his resurrection.
In the first reading today, we heard an account of the first sin (Gen 3) but in the Gospel today (Matt 4:1-11), Jesus turned the situation around overcoming the devil’s temptations. It was a strong contest with the devil who was trying to deflect Jesus from his mission. Lent is a time for us to reflect on our lives and make sure we are not in any way being deflected from love of God and neighbor. Jesus’ statements in the Gospel today can help us reflect on our journey through Lent, our journey to our destination when we will celebrate Jesus risen from his tomb. When Jesus tells a parable, we compare ourselves with the characters in the parable to see where we stand. Jesus quoted Scripture, the Book of Deuteronomy, three times in the Gospel today and we can compare ourselves with these three Scripture quotations to see where we stand.
Jesus’ first quotation is: “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Matt 4:4 quoting Deut 8:3) We need bread for sure, which means all those things that are necessary for living, but there is a more important bread, the living bread, Jesus (John 6:51). The words of Jesus, the living bread, are the most important for our daily lives. Jesus is reminding us not to place over emphasis on possessions. We need them but everything in its proper order—Jesus first. When we die, what will we take with us? Our love for God and neighbor. True happiness is to be found in loving God and neighbor.
Jesus’ second quotation is: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” (Matt 4:7 quoting Deut 6:16) Every time we sin, it is in some way a rebellion against God. Testing God is a serious rebellion against God. Alas, we frequently see actions reported in the world, such as taking the lives of others, that can only be described as a rebellion against God, testing God. Disrespect for God’s name, taking God’s name in vain, is testing God. Instead, the attitude to have is that which we pray in the Lord’s Prayer: “hallowed by thy name.”
Jesus’ third quotation is: “The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” (Matt 4:10 quoting Deut 6:13) We know that unfortunately some people do not journey to Jesus’ tomb during Lent and instead look for answers to their lives in drugs or alcohol or other distractions. Some people get lost for a while going through life and run away from God. But running away from God will never bring true peace and happiness because it is running in the wrong direction. However, it is not uncommon for people who got lost in life to deepen their relationship with God later in life and worship him alone. Sometimes suffering, or other life events, help people to stop putting God to the test, to stop running from God, and to worship and serve God alone. I know someone who abandoned God and was knocked down by a car on the street and seriously injured. Following that incident, he found his way back to God. He entered seminary and is now a priest. Worshipping God alone, of course, means keeping Sunday holy as the Lord’s Day. Worshipping God together here on Sunday is the most important way in which we keep Sunday holy. Jesus said during the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19) We come here on Sunday “in memory” of Jesus to praise God because we know that we do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
Jesus is waiting to receive you with love and forgiveness this Lent. The only way to true happiness is Jesus. We received ashes on our forehead in the sign of a cross when Lent began on Wednesday reminding us that we are saved from our sin by Jesus’ death for us on Calvary. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the end of the story, not our sin. Lent is our personal journey to new life with Jesus. Like the pilgrims who go to the tomb of St. James in Compostela every year, we too want to be closer to Jesus at the end of Lent when we spiritually gather around Jesus’ tomb at Easter to celebrate his resurrection. Jesus is waiting for you with love and forgiveness. The only way to true peace and happiness is Jesus.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2020
This homily was delivered near Regensburg while on a research sabbatical.
More Homilies for the First Sunday of Lent Year A
Overcoming temptation and giving up sin during Lent because we love Jesus 2008
Dying and rising with Jesus during Lent
Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during Lent
Related Homilies: Refocusing on Jesus during Lent 2024
Reliving the temptations of Jesus
stories for Lent
Old Testament Readings during Lent