March 9, 2025

First Sunday of Lent

Lectionary 24

Deuteronomy 24:4-10; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13

A Time of Testing

Meditation

Lent is upon us.  We have made resolutions to attend daily Mass or say more prayers. We have imposed certain sacrifices on ourselves (fasting from electronic devices, for example), possibly given benefiting others. We are testing ourselves.

By doing so, we expose ourselves to temptation. We might wonder if we have taken on too much, be inclined to make exceptions, relax our discipline, or redefine prayer, fasting, or almsgiving.

Lent and La Salette go well together.  Both call us to conversion and place the crucified Christ before our eyes—not to mention that the Beautiful Lady explicitly mentioned Lent in her discourse. In the Scriptures, “tempt” and “test” are interchangeable. Thus, in tempting Jesus in the desert, the devil was putting him to the test.

Remember that the forty days of Jesus in the desert came when he was “newly baptized.” He had just heard the voice from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” This is why the devil introduces two of the temptations by saying, “If you are the Son of God.” We must not think that Jesus was not tempted to prove that.

Similarly, a conversion experience typically is followed by a time of testing. Many pilgrims to La Salette respond to Mary’s call. The challenge for them will be when they return from the mountain to their everyday life, especially if people around them are not supportive.

In the first reading, a ritual hints at the forty years the Hebrews wandered in the desert after God delivered them from slavery “with his strong hand and outstretched arm.” They tested the Lord many times. Today, God is still there, waiting for us to believe with all our hearts and to place our faith and trust in him.

We finds our way of observing Lent, but it is not purely personal. We will need each other’s prayers, sacrifices, and support to journey with Christ in heart and spirit. Let us encourage each other to pray more, fast more, and give more, as we dare to pray, “Lead us not into temptation.”