One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

When was the last time you were tempted and by whom? Was it a friend, relative, or unknown person; maybe a movie or TV commercial?  Perhaps it began with a thought that was generated in your own mind?Regardless of the temptation, Satan is always on the prowl looking for “someone to devour” (1 Pt 5:8) and taking advantage of the weakness in our human nature.

Temptation is very seductive as it offers us an illusion of happiness. I say illusion, because Satan always promises more than he can give. He tempts us with hollow promises that lead to sinful actions.

Years ago there was a famous comedian named Flip Wilson who had a variety show. In nearly every episode he would portray a character named Geraldine who invariably got into some kind of trouble. Geraldine was notorious for defending herself by lamenting, “The Devil made me do it!” giving the impression that she was helpless and, in her weakness was a victim of the devil’s temptation. No matter what, it was the devil’s fault, not hers.

In a certain sense she was right; the devil did tempt her; she was a victim. But her laments were overplayed and her weakness became the center of a few comedic laughs. Regardless, it was she who created the sin by indulging the temptation.

Real temptation is no joke to be taken lightly. One has only to read the paper or listen to the news regarding tragedies of those who never thought would happen to them. No matter the age, those who don’t recognize the dangers of temptation often pay with their lives being destroyed in a variety of ways; including death.

Lent provides us with a special call to fight temptation in our lives. To do so, we need the Sanctifying Grace that only the Holy Spirit can provide. Through the Sanctifying Grace of Baptism and Confirmation, we can call upon Jesus to strengthen us is those times.

A sure way of overcoming temptation is to know and reflect upon how much God loves us. By reminding ourselves of that love, we find the strength to remain faithful to the Gospel. And just as Jesus did in the desert, we must fight temptation; for our mortal soul is at stake.

Jesus being tempted for forty days in the desert is God’s way of showing us that no one should consider him or herself exempt from any type of trial.

The Spirit that drove Jesus out into the desert is the same Spirit that strengthened Him to defeat Satan; and it is the same Spirit that strengthens us in our battle against evil. God allows us to be tempted so that we may grow in virtue. He will never abandon us.

We can overcome temptation by prayer and penance and by meditating on the Word of God. Jesus went into the desert for forty days; and each of those days he was tempted in various ways.

The Devil is a master at temptation. He has been tempting humanity since day one. Recall the first sin that brought death into the world was Satan tempting Eve. The apple may have appeared to be shiny, plump, and delicious to the eye but it was rotten to the core. Adam and Eve’s disobedience set up the dramatic conflict between Good and Evil that will culminate at Christ’s Second Coming when Satan is forever chained in Hell.  And ever since Adam and Eve’s fall, every human being has been and will be tempted over and over again. No one is immune. But it is through the Grace of the Sacraments we receive that we can fight back.

At our Baptism we were asked, “Do you renounce Satan?; and all his works?; and all his empty show”?  Either we or our Godparents answered “Yes”. That affirmation and subsequent Profession of Faith readies the soul to be baptized. The Waters of Baptism are necessary to our salvation. And the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Eucharist are the spiritual weapons that strengthen us to overcome sin.

Today’s Sacred Readings acknowledge we are living in the midst of conflict. But even in this cosmic battle of Good and Evil, God has initiated and maintained a Covenant with us. And with this Covenant comes the Good News of Salvation.

God actually saved the world by flooding it. The flood prefigures the world being cleansed of sin and the righteous being saved in the ark. The ark represents the Church; the safe haven during these tumultuous times.

The season of Lent is a time for us to reflect on God’s goodness and love. We need to decide on an appropriate response to His love and mercy and take to heart the words from today’s Gospel, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15).

Deacon Mark Izzo, Permanent Deacon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica – Saint Anthony Parish

Wednesday we began the season of Lent, a favorable and fitting time, inspired by Scripture, that speaks of returning to God as completely desirable and positive.  Lent is the time to review our lives, reflect upon our thoughts, words and deeds, and concentrate our efforts more fully on the things of God.  Lent is a reminder of what life is all about: not health, wealth and beauty, but freedom from slavery to sin, which means passing through trials to arrive to that the heavenly place, where we hope to enjoy God’s company forever.

I like to call this first Sunday of Lent “Christ in the Desert Sunday”. Every year on this first Sunday of Lent we hear a Gospel account of Jesus’ forty-day desert experience, when Christ was tempted by the devil, but is victorious over the forces of evil that attacked him. This year we hear the account by Saint Mark describing Christ’s forty days in the desert.

Christ must have felt those hardships in His desert retreat, but was not swayed by them or by the devil’s desire to see Christ follow a path other than God’s. As the Savior of the human race, Christ in the desert was not defeated, but strengthened to go forth with His work to open the path of redemption for all people.

Forty is a significant number throughout the Sacred Scriptures. For example, the flood in Noah’s time lasted forty days. For forty years the Hebrews wandered in the desert before entering the Promised Land. Jonah the prophet preached for forty days to the Ninevites. At different times both Moses and Elijah spent forty days fasting and praying on the mountain.

Our Church to this day maintains the timeline of forty days of reflection, fasting, prayer and almsgiving, in preparation to celebrating the peak of Lent, Holy Week at the end of the forty days, and then powerfully recounting and reliving the events of our salvation in Jesus Christ, the Sacred Triduum, leading up to Easter Sunday.

Jesus teaches us that trials are not to defeat us, but to strengthen us. We all face trials, but what we do with them makes all the difference; we can become bitter by our trials but give thanks.  Believe and act on the Word of God and overcome evil with GOOD.  No matter where we are, the Church strengthens us in our efforts to grow in inner freedom, love, peace and holiness, dying to sin in order to belong more completely to God and share the risen life in Jesus Christ.

Whatever crisis we endure can be a source of victory. From the ashes, new life buds forth. We hold this to be true by our baptismal covenant with the living God. Saint Peter speaks of this in the second reading today when he states emphatically, “You are now saved by a baptismal bath.

It is the Good News that each of us is created, loved and forgiven by God.  As we begin our own Lenten journey today, we need to recall and remember that we are not setting out on this journey on our own.  God is walking by our side every step of the way.  When we are tempted, we need to follow the example of Jesus.

Deacon Anthony Falasca, Jr., Permanent Deacon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica – Saint Anthony Parish

God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you:
all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals
that were with you and came out of the ark.
I will establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood;
there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.”
God added:
“This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the earth,
and the bow appears in the clouds,
I will recall the covenant I have made
between me and you and all living beings,
so that the waters shall never again become a flood
to destroy all mortal beings.”

R. (cf. 10) Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Good and upright is the LORD,
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and he teaches the humble his way.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Beloved:
Christ suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,
who had once been disobedient
while God patiently waited in the days of Noah
during the building of the ark,
in which a few persons, eight in all,
were saved through water.
This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.
It is not a removal of dirt from the body
but an appeal to God for a clear conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who has gone into heaven
and is at the right hand of God,
with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.