The first Sunday of Lent reminds us of a victory in the Desert. That victory is a defining moment in Christ's life and ours. The Lucan narrative of the Temptation in the Desert underscores Jesus' identity as Son of God. In this narrative, the "Shema Yisrael" is used by Jesus as the New Israel who has entered the Devil's realm in order to win a battle that the Old Israel lost many centuries before. Read the relevant article here and use the following as your guide.
1. When we were baptized, an exorcism was performed for us; that rite set our existence against the Devil. Every year after that, we renew our baptismal vows expressing our three-fold renunciation of Satan: we reject him, his lies and his works. This yearly renewal of our vows is a public declaration of war against Satan and his kingdom. This war is being played out right now in our very existence as Christians. It is for this reason that since ancient times, the Fathers of the Church have called the Christian life "a struggle". To be more precise, it is a wrestling match against the Devil. Our Lord has won the battle for us. He did it in the desert and he did it on the cross. What remains now is to make that victory ours. This is an aspect of our life that we focus on during the season of Lent.
Reflect: How do you resolve to make this Lenten journey more fruitful than last year's?
2. Sonship is about obedience to the Father and fidelity to His will. In three schematized encounters, Jesus proved to the Devil that he was Son of God precisely by declaring his loyalty and submission to the Father. He refused to make use of his powers and privileges as "Son"; he refused the temptation of acquiring a reign that would have made him subject to the Devil.
When we were baptized, we were recreated and remade according to the image of God's Son. During our Lenten journey towards Easter, we focus on our divine filiation. Divine sonship has been redefined by the Lord: it is no longer by physical generation (as in the case of the demi-gods of Greek mythology) but through the will of God.
Reflect: When we were baptized, we became "children of God". Our existence as His children was made possible by our incorporation into Christ who is "Son of God." We daily feed that filiation into maturity by participating in the Eucharist where we partake of the flesh and blood of the Lord. How do you propose to renew your devotion to the Eucharist during the Lenten season?
3. In the encounter between Jesus and the Devil, focus was placed on being a Son as opposed to using the privileges of a Son. The Devil based his first two attacks on the latter, before he tempted Jesus with a kingdom. In answer to all the Devil's temptation, Jesus declared his "being" as that of the Son. "Being a son" is to be obedient to the Father.
A son, like a slave, lives by the words of another: the son lives by the word of the Father and the servant lives by the word of the Master. At his baptism, Jesus was presented to us by the Voice from Heaven as both Son and Servant. Paul tells us that we have been empowered to be like Jesus because God has poured the Holy Spirit. It is the same Spirit that anointed Jesus at his baptism.
Reflect: We have been enabled to be like Jesus who has instructed us to call God "Our Father" and to live as servants of one another in the household of God. How do you resolve to make your baptismal commitment a "felt experience" in your community of faith?
