6-Mar-2011 Dear Friend,
We are constantly bombarded by messages and images that tell us: ‘Be your own Boss! You can mange on your own! Be Number 1! Show them who you are!” Gradually we tend to believe we are supermen and women, we don’t need others; we don’t need God because we are like God! We cannot escape temptations but we can fight them. In fact we become stronger when put to the test. Being successful is not a matter of mere will-power but God’s power! With God’s power may we face all trials! Fr. Jude Sunday Reflections: First Sunday of Lent –‘Faithful in trial and temptations!’ 13-Mar-2011 Genesis 2: 7-9, 16-18, 25, 3: 1-7; Romans 5: 12-19; Matthew 4: 1-11; The first reading from the Book of Genesis reminds us that God created man to live and enjoy the fullness of life that comes from God. All that human beings had to do was to live in friendship with God. But Adam and Eve did not. Being tempted they preferred to usurp the role of God; and believed they could manage without God. They sinned and lost their relationship and friendship with God. Their rejection of God severed their relationship with mankind and nature itself. Sin not only affected them but all mankind. Everyone is more inclined to evil than good. We have to struggle to live God’s life. Why Penance? Once upon a time a very earnest young man visited a famous rabbi. He told the rabbi that he wanted to become a rabbi and asked for his advice. It was winter time. The rabbi stood at the window looking out into the yard while the rabbinical candidate gave him a glowing account of his piety and learning. The young man said, ‘You see, Rabbi, I always dress in spotless white like the sages of old. I never drink any alcoholic beverages; only water ever passes my lips. I perform numerous penances. For instance, I always carry sharp-edged nails inside my shoes to mortify me. Even in the coldest weather. I lie naked in the snow to punish my flesh. And to complete my penance, I take a dozen lashes every day on my bare back.’ As the young man spoke, a stable boy led a white horse into the yard and took him to the water trough. The horse drank his fill of water, and having done so, rolled in the snow, as horses sometimes do. ‘Just look!’ cried the rabbi. “That animal, too, is dressed in white. It also drinks nothing but water, has nails in its shoes and rolls naked in the snow. Also, rest assured, it gets its daily ration of lashes on the rump from its master. Now, I ask you, is it a saint, or is it a horse?” The point the rabbi was making was that penance is not an end in itself. What is the purpose of penance? Is it meant to undo the past – the past is done. Is it meant to persuade God to erase our sins and forgo the punishment we deserve for them? Why penance? Flor McCarthy in ‘New Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies’ In Matthew’s Gospel we are reminded that Jesus himself was led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil for forty days and forty nights in the desert. Like Israel of old, Jesus was led in the wilderness, unlike Israel and unlike Adam, Jesus did not succumb to the wiles of the devil. Thrice he was tempted and thrice he conquered. Temptations in themselves are not bad, but how we handle them makes all the difference. Jesus counters each temptation with the power of God’s word. The first temptation of Jesus was also the first temptation of Adam and Eve, as well as that of Christians today, namely to create idols for satisfying our needs and desires. ‘Change these stones into bread!’ The second temptation is to show off –to impress others, to seek the plaudits of men. “Show them who you are! Throw yourself down and impress them! They will believe in you!” The third temptation was the temptation to use power for oneself, to dominate and control. “I will give you all these kingdoms if you fall down and worship me!” Even today we tend to believe that if we have power we have everything. Every temptation is a suggestion to be God rather than to accept his friendship. When I sin there is more evil in this world just as when I respond to God and His grace there is more goodness in our world. To help us choose God we have the example of Jesus and his grace available to us. To fight temptation we have to go to the desert as Jesus did. Jesus used prayer, penance and the word of God to fight evil, we too can do the same this Lent. God’s Living Word He was a very well connected young man. He was a Jew. His Father really controlled the whole show and, as an only son, he shared in the power himself. He was tempted to use it to smooth his own path in life, but he had other standards and values, including deep respect for the uniqueness of each individual, especially the poor, the despised, the sick and the downtrodden. Rather than take advantage of his power for his own comfort, he was prepared to spend his whole life in bringing a message of love, hope and forgiveness to all people because that was what his father wanted. Sharing in this way in his father’s plan was the peak of his own happiness. It came before all else, no matter what the temptation was to take the soft option. On occasion, these temptations were very strong. One such occasion is recounted in this Sunday’s gospel when Jesus, the well-connected only Son of God, is tempted to exploit his privileged position in order to assuage his longing for food, fame and finance. He was able to resist because he had room for the Spirit of God in his heart through the forty days of fasting. Today’s gospel is a reminder that unless we tackle such selfishness head on, our true greatness as children of a loving Father will be irreversibly eroded. The choice is ours. Tom Clancy in ‘Living the Word’ True Penance A wealthy Jewish merchant treats a poor old man with rudeness and disdain as they travel together on a train. When they arrive at their common destination, the merchant finds the station thronged with pious Jews waiting in ecstatic joy to greet the arrival of one of the holiest rabbis in Europe, and learns to his chagrin that the old man in his compartment is that saintly rabbi. Embarrassed at his disgraceful behaviour and distraught that he missed a golden opportunity to speak in privacy to a wise and holy man, the merchant pushes his way through the crowed to find the old man. When he reaches him, he begs the rabbi’s forgiveness and requests his blessing. The old man answered, “To receive forgiveness you must go out and beg it from every poor old person in the world.” Brian Cavanaugh in ‘The Sower’s Seed’ Struggle Against Temptation The first thing that needs to be said about the temptations of Jesus is that they were real. This was no play-acting. But the question arises: Can a good person be tempted like the rest of us? The truth is: the good person who resists temptation knows more about its power than the weakling who submits at the very onset of temptation. The following story illustrates the truth of this. Once upon a time there were three shepherds who each was responsible for a flock of sheep. One winter’s night all three were awakened by the howling of a wolf. The first was about to get out of bed when he heard the rain beating against his bedroom window. He had second thoughts, turned over in bed, and went back to sleep. The second got out of bed, dressed, and went to the front door. However, on opening it he was hit by a squall of sleety rain. He went back inside and returned to his warm bed. The third got up, dressed, and went outside. There he had to contend with rain, wind, darkness and cold. But he stuck to his task until he had seen that his sheep were secure. When he got back indoors he was wet through and got a nasty cold as a result of his efforts. Now which of the three shepherds knew most about the rain, the wind and the dark? The third of course. Those who given in easily to temptation know little about the struggle involved. Those who struggle with temptation and overcome it know it best. If you want to know what victory over temptation costs, don’t ask a sinner ask a saint. Flor McCarthy in ‘New Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies’ Begone Satan! In 1988, Martin Scorsese film “The Last Temptation of Christ” based on Nikos Kazantzakis’s novel made waves, worldwide. The core controversy was Jesus’ relationship with Mary Magdalene. In 2005, Dan Brown’s ‘Da Vinci Code’ was similarly sensational. Now, a new film “The Aquarian Gospel” is being shot to unveil Jesus’ hidden years during which he imbibes Indic wisdom with a beautiful Indian confidante named Saraswati. This film is set to become a box-office hit in India, at least, since the mademoiselle in question is the sexy Indian actress Mallika Sherawat. Let us not labour to disclose the devilry of fanciful films. But, reflections upon Christ’s first temptation’ will assist our Lenten observances. May Lent lead us to prayer, fasting and almsgiving that every ‘first temptation’ might be met with a resolute “Begone, Satan!” Francis Gonsalves in ‘Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds’ Tested by Fire There was once a meeting of real developers, who gathered to discuss a possible joint venture. Each developer had impressive plans for development. To the surprise of everyone, the organizer stood up and began to describe in detail one of his greatest failures. He talked about how in his eagerness to make fast money for his investors, he had overlooked some important details about public opinion trends. He said in the end, “I am much more careful now to get all the facts before acting on my idea.” He learnt from his failure. The person next to him also admitted that he too had not been a genius always. In fact, once he purchased a huge parcel of land for development that was sitting on solid rock. Then it was the chance of the youngest of the group. This young man was reluctant to share his mistake. He fumbled around and said, “Well everyone knows, I have had many successes.” Then the leader of the group gently scolded him and said, “Come on Charlie, put your rock out on the table. If you have not met any failure in your life, you cannot be a part of this group.” What the leader was saying was, if you have not been tested by fire, you do not know who you are. And if you don’t know who you are, you cannot achieve anything worthwhile in life. John Rose in ‘John’s Sunday Homilies’ You Look Different… A number of years ago Doug Alderson wrote a beautiful article in Campus Life magazine. It described his 2,000-mile hike down the Appalachian Trail. Doug had just graduated from high school and had lots of unanswered questions: Was there a God? What was the purpose of life? What was his purpose in Life? Commenting on all this, Doug wrote: “There had to be more to life than money, TV parties and getting high…My hike was a search for inner peace, a journey to find myself.” The hike proved to be more difficult than Doug anticipated. At times the trail became dangerously steep. The days were often rainy. Doug’s clothes got soaked, his feet got wet, his body shivered and ached at night. But Doug didn’t give up. The long hours of walking and climbing gave Doug a chance to think. They also gave him a chance to get to know himself better. There was no one around to influence him. Five months later Doug reached home. He was a different person. Even his dog eyed him strangely, as if to say, “Where have you been? What have you done? You look different.” Doug was different. He had found what he was searching for. There was a God. Life had a purpose, and he had a role to play in it. Doug summed up his experience this way: “I was more my own person. I liked what I saw in myself.’ Mark Link in ‘Sunday Homilies’ Tested and tried, may we become what God meant us to be! Fr. Jude Botelho [email protected] PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in these reflections. These reflections are also available on my web site www.netforlife.net Thank you.
