“Jesus was led by the spirit through the wilderness and was tempted there by the devil for forty days.”
As we begin Lent, we are put in touch with the basic temptations of human life that can lead us to disaster.
The first of these is pride. This does not mean thinking well of ourselves but rather thinking of ourselves as the only and most important thing in our lives. During this time we are invited to sort out our priorities once again.
The second temptation is to power that makes us want to prove that we are better than others. The only power we should exercise as followers of Christ is the power of love through which we forget ourselves, die to ourselves so that others may have life.
And, Lent is also a time to change our ways of life that are not in accordance with God’s ways, as the third temptation is presumption. God does respect our choices and rewards and punishes us accordingly.
Johnny Doherty CSsR
Fr. John Riccardo’s 1st Lenten Reflection
