First Sunday of Lent

Praise be to Jesus Christ

Did you spend time in God’s grace last week?

How is your Lenten season?

We would like each person to choose what they wish to do during this Lent.

Firstly, we need to recognize that we are in Lent.  

Secondly, identify two goals: one for doing more and the other for doing less.  The best way is to write down your goals for Lent.  

I hope today’s homily will help you to determine what your goals are.  

Lent invites us to the desert.

Gospel tells us a story of Jesus who is tempted in the desert.  

Desert is a place where you are alone.  Let us imagine ourselves in the desert while closing our eyes.  The desert eliminates everything that surrounds us.  You cannot put makeup on.  You cannot watch YouTube.  You cannot play Jokgu.  There is no food so you must minimize your movements to conserve energy.  

It appears that there is nothing you can do in the desert.  You can only reflect on yourself; just like looking into a mirror.  When you look into a mirror then you can see your imperfections on your face.  As you look into yourself you can see all the scars and bad habits.  

When you identify your scars and bad habits, you can begin to change.   Through this process you can determine root causes of the temptations.  

Temptation approaches through your needs.  

Devil asks Jesus who has been fasting for forty days to make a bread.

When you fast for forty days then food is more important than watching YouTube or putting on makeup.  A small piece of bread is the greatest temptation when you are starving; it is the weakest link.  

This is the reason why we must choose our own goal for Lent.  

Although a typical goal to refrain from alcohol consumption or smoking is important, it is more critical to identify your worst deficiency and set your goals for Lent.  

Temptation approaches through pleasure.

Devil promises to give you the worldly power and glory if you kneel to him.  You can attain more than your own efforts.  Temptation is more comfortable, beautiful, and enjoyable.  

In addition, temptation is justifiable.  Devil says that angels will protect Jesus so jump from the top of the church.  Temptation approaches through justifiable reasoning and suitable evidence.

You can overcome temptation by repenting.  Repenting is a way to change direction.  

Jesus, using the words from bible, changes the direction and triumphs over devil’s temptations.    

Lent is a time to repent.  You need to direct yourself to God and reflect.  Repenting is a small gesture of flapping our wings toward God.  But our efforts will develop into a cyclone and take us to God.  Repenting creates a small crack in our weakness.  Through this crack the dam of darkness will be destroyed.  

Today is the first Sunday of Lent.  

Let us recognize we are in Lent and through our goal setting take a one step closer to God.  

Let us meditate for a moment.