God's Message For You - 10 March 2019
Rey Dionela
READINGS for 2019-03-10
First Sunday of Lent TEMPTATIONS Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit... was tempted by the devil. – Luke 4:1-2 Read the above verse again and see if you don’t raise your eyebrows. Do you realize what it just said? No one is exempt from temptations— not even Jesus Himself who is full of the Holy Spirit! Temptation is all around us—from that lady in tight jeans, to that shiny luxury car, or even to your parish priest whom you saw talking to a gorgeous parishioner. They can be temptations that lead us to sins of lust, envy, gossip, haughty eyes, etc. Or they may make us stronger and hold on to God more. This Lenten Season, remember that holiness is not about not being tempted. It is running to God during temptations—through prayer, fasting, and abstinence; knowing His Word; and immersing ourselves in the sacraments. In short, it’s focusing on the good so that the bad becomes irrelevant and unattractive. Above all, Lent tells us that if you do fall and fail, you can and must run back to God who will embrace and empower you to win over your next fight against temptations. Alvin Barcelona (apb...@yahoo.com) Reflect: When you get tempted, what do you do? Immediately turn your thoughts to God and focus on His love. He only wants the best for you. This is the way to win against temptation. Our Father, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen. St. Dominic Savio, pray for us.
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1st READING We need to reflect on and proclaim the good things God has done to give us salvation. This is what rituals are for—to remind us of the wonders the Lord has done and continues to do today. We easily forget God’s blessings and we need to remember His generosity. This leads us to have an “attitude of gratitude” towards God. Deuteronomy 26:4-10 4 Moses spoke to the people, saying: “The priest shall then receive the basket from you and shall set it in front of the altar of the Lord, your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God, ‘My father was a wandering Aramean who went down to Egypt with a small household and lived there as an alien. But there he became a nation great, strong, and numerous. 6 When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us, imposing hard labor upon us, 7 we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and he heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; 9 and bringing us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey. 10 Therefore, I have now brought you the first fruits of the products of the soil which you, O Lord, have given me.’ And having set them before the Lord, your God, you shall bow down in his presence.” PSALM Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 R: Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble. 1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, 2 say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (R) 10 No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, 11 for to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. (R) 12 Upon their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the asp and the viper; you shall trample down the lion and the dragon. (R) 14 Because he clings to me, I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in distress; I will deliver him and glorify him. (R) 2nd READING Faith in God encourages us to proclaim His goodness to us. This is how we support one another in our faith. Hearing how God is blessing others will help perk the spirits of those who are depressed. Confessing God’s goodness is a service we can do for others that costs us nothing. Romans 10:8-13 8 Brothers and sisters: What does Scripture say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart—that is, the word of faith that we preach— 9 for, 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. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame. 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” GOSPEL Jesus fights temptation by refuting Satan’s lies with the truth in Scriptures. The devil is a liar, and the easiest way to defeat his lies is to soak our minds and hearts in God’s truth by reading and reflecting on His Word. This Lent, let us make time to read the Gospels and acquaint ourselves with Jesus our Lord, His life and ministry. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Luke 4:1-13 1 Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert 2 for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”4 Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live by bread alone.” 5 Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. 6 The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. 7 All this will be yours, if you worship me.” 8 Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” 9 Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, 11 and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” 12 Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” 13 When the devil had finished everytemptation, he departed from him for a time. think: Do you have difficulty understanding Scripture? Pray to the Holy Spirit to open your mind, heart, and soul to His Word. ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST thank You, Lord, for: ____________________
Read the Bible in one year - Revelation 7-10
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GOD FIRST It is the first Sunday of Lent. Today, the First Reading tells us about putting God first—giving Him what is His due, which is the best. And the best in most cultures means the “first fruits” of the bountiful harvest. The seminary where I grew up in was beside a factory that produced garments for export. They produced jackets and coats meant for cooler climates. All had unfamiliar brands that one didn’t see in local department stores. Occasionally, we would be showered with gifts of items that were good and wearable, but which did not pass quality standards. Poor seminarians that we were, we didn’t mind. We were happy even with “seconds.” Beggars could not be choosers. Back then, I got to brush shoulders with a missionary priest who hardly spent on himself and his wants and needs, but who never had second thoughts about buying the best when it came to the needs of the church and liturgical services. He had the best sacred vessels, the best vestments, and the crisp, whitest, cleanest altar linens. For God, there was no rule of “seconds,” but He deserved the gift of the first fruits. Lent is rightly thought of as a time for self-denial. While this is true, there is a more positive element to this self-denial. All this fasting and sacrifice is not really about us but about God—it is about what God deserves, and what He deserves is the best we can offer even if, in our frail human weakness, all we could think of is to deprive ourselves of what is legitimate, what is not sinful, all for the greater glory of God. The story of the threefold temptations of Christ highlights this fact. Jesus was hungry after fasting for forty days. His hunger, though, did not get the better of Him: “One does not live on bread alone.” The drive to power did not derail Him from what He valued most—God: “You shall worship the Lord, your God, and Him alone shall you serve.” The third clinches it all—God must be treated for what He is. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB ------- REFLECTION QUESTION ------- What first fruits do you have to offer? You deserve the best from me, Lord. May I always remember that. Amen.
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