The WORD
today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/030517.cfm)
reminds me how important it is to know God's WORD so I can use it
against the enemy.
There is a story of a man who
was having troubles with sins of the flesh. He talked to a priest during
confession, and asked what he should do to avoid sin. The priest told him that
when temptations come, he should not entertain them, so he would not be led
into sin. The man said, “Father I don’t entertain them, they entertain me!”
Everyone
gets tempted.
Even Jesus, as we see in the gospel. He is like us in every way, except sin.
Jesus shows us that it is what we do with
temptation that sets us apart. We have the option to give in to
temptation, like Adam and Eve in the first reading, or be like Jesus
who fought it with God’s help. Temptation brings us to a crossroad, and gives
us a chance to choose what we want to be - a sinner or a saint.
When we fast, when we are weak,
just like how we are right now with our lenten sacrifices, it is when it is
easiest for the devil to tempt us. It is when we are most vulnerable. That is
why the devil tempted Jesus while he was fasting. And Jesus showed us how we
should fight it. He showed us what we need. This is the period where we need to hold on to God all the more.
Knowing God's
word gives us a powerful weapon against the enemy.
When
Jesus was tempted, he used God’s WORD. In Ephesians’ Spiritual Armor, the sword
of the spirit is the Word of God. We also know that the Word of God is powerful
and effective, sharper than any two edged sword. This shows we need to be
familiarized and to continuously grow in knowledge and love of God’s word so we
can have an armor when we are faced with the devil’s temptations. Not only
that, we need to really know what it means so we would not fall in one of the
devil's trap. In the third temptation, the devil quoted a bible verse.
But knowing what it really means, and being able to distinguish the reason
and purpose of things should guide us as we are faced with such temptations.
May
we be reminded of the importance and power of God's word, and be inspired to
immerse ourselves with it.
What temptations do the enemy
always use on me? How do I respond? Do I call unto God to help me fight these
temptations, or do I entertain them and be led to sin? Am I growing in
knowledge and love of God’s word that would enable me to fight the enemy better?
Father God,
Thank you
for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday.
Thank you for your Word that is powerful. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, I
am sorry for not making the most out of your word. Sorry for not spending time
basking in it, in not spending time reading and understanding it. Help me live
right. Lord, I ask that you give me a heart that would long to know you, that
would devote quality time to study your word. May I always come to you in prayer
and call on you for strength when faced with temptations. May I act and respond
like Jesus, especially when faced with temptations. Amen.
Blessed
Sunday!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflections:
March 5, 2017
First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 22
Reading 1 Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became a living being.
Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow
that were delightful to look at and good for food,
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
"Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?"
The woman answered the serpent:
"We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"
But the serpent said to the woman:
"You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil."
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Reading 2 Rom 5:12-19
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those who did not sin
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,
who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one, the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned.
For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation;
but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.
Verse Before the Gospel Mt 4:4b
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
Gospel Mt 4:1-11
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him,
"If you are the Son of God,
command that these stones become loaves of bread."
He said in reply,
"It is written:
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God."
Then the devil took him to the holy city,
and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,
and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone."
Jesus answered him,
"Again it is written,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test."
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you,
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me."
At this, Jesus said to him,
"Get away, Satan!
It is written:
The Lord, your God, shall you worship
and him alone shall you serve."
Then the devil left him and, behold,
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