St. Mary's Catholic Church of Tomahawk, WI

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We are in the first week of Lent. Lent, as we know, is a precious time which calls everyone to repentance and conversion. The first reading reminds us that this is a time of testing, similar to that of the ancient Israelites time in the desert. Our Lenten journey culminates in our commemoration of God’s ultimate saving act in Jesus' death on the cross. The paschal mystery of Jesus' passion, death and resurrection holds a special place in our faith. It is a constant reminder of God’s love for us and the sacrifice that was made to save us from sin.

The second reading proclaims strongly that everyone will receive salvation if they have faith that is expressed externally in the Lord Jesus. It emphasizes God’s salvific action to all without any distinction and reminds us all of the proper response in faith to God’s mercy and providence. Lent reminds us that having been oppressed by sin, we are in constant need of God’s salvific activity in our lives. Let us ask ourselves, “How do we keep the word of faith in our hearts and confess our faith by words and actions”?

The Gospel describes the temptation of Jesus in the desert. Jesus was tested three times. He was tempted by the devil for hunger, power, faith and trust in God. Jesus rejected Satan and all three temptations quoting from scripture. During this time, the Lord did not set limits or criteria for God’s providence. He models for us the correct response in times of adversity and testing, complete dependence on God with steadfast faith. Do we take Jesus as our model in such moments?

Fr. Aloysius Royan Anthony