First Reading (Deuteronomy 26:4-10)
Reading of the Book of Deuteronomy.
Thus Moses spoke to the people: “The priest will take the basket from your hands and place it before the altar of the Lord your God. You will then say in the presence of the Lord your God: ‘My father was a wandering Aramean, who went down to Egypt with a handful of people and lived there as a foreigner. There he became a great, strong and numerous people. The Egyptians mistreated and oppressed us, imposing harsh slavery on us. So we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our oppression, our misery and our distress. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, in the midst of great terror, with signs and wonders. And he led us to this place and gave us this land, flowing with milk and honey. Therefore, now I bring the first fruits of the land that you gave me, Lord.’
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Second Reading (Romans 10:8-13)
Reading of Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans.
Brothers: What does the Scripture say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” This word is the word of faith, which we preach. Therefore, if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. It is by believing in the heart that justice is achieved and it is by confessing faith with the mouth that salvation is achieved. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” Therefore, the difference between Jew and Greek does not matter; they all have the same Lord, who is generous to all who call upon him. Indeed, everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Luke 4,1-13)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and, in the desert, he was guided by the Spirit. There he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He didn’t eat anything those days and after that, he felt hungry. The devil then said to Jesus: “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to be changed into bread.” Jesus replied, “The Scripture says, ‘Man does not live by bread alone.'” The devil took Jesus up, showed him for a moment all the kingdoms of the world and said to him: “I will give you all this power and all its glory, because all this has been handed over to me and I can give it to whoever I want. Therefore, if you fall down before me in worship, all this will be yours”. Jesus replied, “The Scripture says, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'” Then the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, placed him on the highest part of the Temple, and said to him: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here! For the Scripture says: God will command his angels concerning you, to guard you carefully!’ And even more: ‘They will carry you in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone'”. But Jesus replied, “The Scripture says, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'” After all the temptation was over, the devil moved away from Jesus, to return at the appropriate time.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
We are in the desert. Not just any desert, but an arid and lonely place where we are confronted with our deepest temptations, our greatest weaknesses and, paradoxically, where we can discover our true strength. Today’s readings invite us on a journey into the desert of the soul, a place where we find not only our true selves, but also the God who sustains us.
In the first reading of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses instructs the people about the ritual of offering the firstfruits. “The priest will take the basket from your hands and place it before the altar of the Lord your God.” This is not a simple ceremonial gesture; it is a deeply symbolic act of recognition and gratitude. The Israelite should say: “My father was a wandering Aramean…”
Pause for a moment on this sentence. It is extraordinary that in celebrating their abundance, the people were called to remember their humble origins, their history of migration, slavery and suffering. “The Egyptians mistreated us, oppressed us and imposed harsh slavery on us.” This remembrance was not to fuel resentment, but to nourish gratitude for deliverance: “The Lord heard us… brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.”
How many times do we forget where we came from? How often, in our moments of comfort and abundance, have we lost sight of the struggles that shaped us, the graces that sustained us, the hand of God that guided us through our own “deserts”? The memory of our fragility and God’s faithfulness is the foundation of true gratitude.
In our second reading, Paul reminds us that salvation is closer than we imagine. “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” We don’t need to climb mountains or descend into abysses to find God. He is present here and now, as close as our own breath.
Paul continues with a powerful statement: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Faith is not just an intellectual assent to a set of doctrines; it is a deep conviction that springs from the heart and is expressed in our words and actions.
“Indeed, it is by believing with the heart that one obtains righteousness, and it is by confessing with the mouth that one obtains salvation.” There is a necessary integration between inner belief and outer confession. Our faith cannot remain hidden in the sanctuary of our hearts; it must be proclaimed, lived, shared.
And then Paul adds: “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; they all have the same Lord, who is generous to all who call on him.” In a world fragmented by ethnic, political and economic divisions, this message is revolutionary. God’s grace transcends all human barriers. Before the cross, we are all equal – in need of the same mercy, recipients of the same love.
And now we come to the Gospel, where we find Jesus in the desert, being tempted by the devil for forty days. This episode occurs immediately after the baptism of Jesus, where heaven opened and the voice of the Father proclaimed: “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” It is significant that Jesus faces temptation shortly after this confirmation of his identity.
The devil attacks precisely at this point: “If you are the Son of God…” The tempter questions Jesus’ identity, suggesting that he prove his divine status through displays of power. Isn’t that how many of our own temptations begin? With a subtle questioning of who we really are, followed by the suggestion that we need to prove our worth through achievements, possessions or power?
The first temptation appeals to basic physical needs: “Command that this stone may become bread.” Jesus, hungry after forty days of fasting, responds with the words of Scripture: “Man does not live by bread alone.” He recognizes that the needs of the body are real, but they are not supreme. There is a deeper hunger that can only be satisfied by God’s word, truth and love.
The second temptation is for worldly glory and power. The devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offers: “I will give you all this power and glory… if you will bow down before me.” This is the temptation to worship the false gods of status, influence, and control. It is the seduction of believing that our security and worth lie in our power over others rather than in our service to them.
Jesus responds again with Scripture: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” He reaffirms that there is only one true object of worship, there is only one Lord worthy of our ultimate loyalty.
The third temptation occurs in the temple of Jerusalem, a holy place. “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.” This is perhaps the subtlest of temptations – to use religion to test God, to manipulate the divine for our own purposes. It is the danger of turning faith into a spectacle, into a means of self-promotion or self-validation.
Jesus responds firmly: “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” True faith does not require extraordinary signs; trusts even in the absence of visible evidence, even in silence and darkness.
What do these three temptations have in common? All seek to distort the true identity of Jesus as the Son of God. All offer seductive shortcuts that avoid the path of obedience, service and sacrifice. They all invite Jesus to trust in something other than God.
And aren’t these the same temptations we face in our own lives? The temptation to define our worth by what we have or produce. The temptation to seek power and control rather than humble service. The temptation to use even our faith as a means to satisfy our ego or manipulate others.
The season of Lent, which we now begin, is our own “forty day” period in the wilderness. It is a time to honestly face our temptations, to recognize our weaknesses, to renew our total dependence on God.
Like Jesus, we are called to respond to temptations with the Word of God, allowing the truth of Scripture to illuminate the lies we so easily believe. Like Jesus, we are invited to reaffirm our identity as beloved sons and daughters of God – an identity that does not need to be proven through achievement or validated by applause, but is freely given by the Father’s love.
And here the readings connect in a beautiful harmony. The Israelite in Deuteronomy recognizes his history of fragility and God’s faithfulness. Paul reminds us that salvation is available to all who confess Jesus as Lord. And in the Gospel, we see Jesus facing and overcoming the temptations that threaten to distort his true identity and mission.
My dear brothers and sisters, this Lent we are invited to take our own journey into the wilderness. To courageously face our temptations, not trusting in our own strength, but in the word of God that dwells in us. To reaffirm our identity as beloved children, not because we are perfect or powerful, but because we are infinitely precious in the eyes of God.
And like the Israelite who offers his firstfruits, we are called to gratitude – recognizing that everything we have and are is a gift from God. Our response to this gift is not fear or reluctant obligation, but grateful love that expresses itself in worship of God and service to others.
May we, at the end of these forty days, emerge from the desert like Jesus – strengthened in our identity, clear in our mission, and ready for the path that takes us to the cross and, through it, to the glory of the resurrection.
May the Lord grant us the grace to face our temptations with courage, to trust His word with faith, and to walk in His presence with hope and love. Amen.
