First Sunday of Lent

This weekend, we hear two powerful episodes from the Scriptures - the first being the Fall - how our first parents sinned. This story is a theologically rich story. Eve is speaking with the snake, while Adam simply ignores the conversation. Instead of assisting her in resisting, he is silent. The serpent twists the truth, saying that God is wrong in limiting them from eating of the Tree of Knowledge, that they will not die but that they will become like God. The standard lie is to redefine things - while they physically did not die, at least on the spot, they did experience the death of their relationship with God, between them (they accused and blamed each other), Creation, and even in themselves (aware of their nakedness, they were ashamed).

In the temptation in the Wilderness, Jesus becomes perfectly obedient. While he was hungry and weakened, He was strong, and must have been well nourished by the Word of God - He quotes Deuteronomy to Satan. Satan tells Him if he is the Son of God, to take the rocks and turn them into bread. Satan takes Jesus to the Parapet of the Temple, and tells him to throw himself down and that God would send his angels to protect him. Last, Satan shows him all the Kingdoms of the world, and that he would give them to Jesus if he would just worship. Jesus turns him down, and as a result begins to undo the disobedience in the sin of Adam, and begins to bring the sure for original sin that we have because of Adam and Eve. This will be fully given in the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, in his self-emptying on the Cross. Note, though, that while the temptation was real, it was the grasping that would have been sinful. After all, Jesus turned water into wine and miraculously turned 5 loaves of bread into enough to feed 5000 thousand. He healed the sick, raised the dead, and in His resurrection and ascension does more than land on his feet! Because of his obedience, he is Lord of all, and his name is exalted beyond everything else in heaven and earth!

Our lenten journey of 40 days is an opportunity for us to seek freedom from the lies of Satan and to be obedient to the will of God.