First Sunday of Lent

First Sunday of Lent Scripture Readings

Reflection on Scripture

In our first reading today, we are told of the sin of Adam and Eve, our first parents. Why did God forbid them to partake of the tree of knowledge? Lucifer, the greatest of all angels, had rebelled against the notion of the Son of God taking on human existence. Lucifer was blinded by pride and refused to adore the God Man. In turn, Lucifer was expelled from paradise.

Adam and Eve were loved into existence by God. They possessed an innocence that would not be seen in the world until the birth of Jesus. Adam and Eve were without sin, and they lived in the divine blessing. Sin was present in the world, but God in His infinite love, did not want them exposed and lose their innocence. Their sin was the sin of disobedience and of pride, because their desire, once they ate the forbidden fruit, was to be equal to God.

The thought was planted by Satin in their minds and they gave in to the temptation and their innocence was destroyed. This is our inheritance from our first parents.

We embark on a new journey of Lent. Fasting and abstinence are part of the journey. However, unlike ordinary ritual, fasting and abstinence are a turning away from the material pleasures and quieting of the spirit so we can experience God in the spiritual realm.

How will we prepare for Lent this year? We may give up things that we like and get pleasure from that are not sinful in themselves. We will adhere to the Church’s teaching on fasting and abstinence. These sacrifices in and of themselves do not lead to holiness. We must experience the love of God in these actions, so we can return to the innocence that our first parents possessed in the original blessing.

Conversion or turning back to God is a commitment of the heart and mind to allow ourselves to be loved more by God. The more we allow God to love us, the more we grow in love of Him and each other.

Begin Lent with a goal. Establish the goal in prayer and with the help of the Holy Spirit. Write down what we want to be at the end of this six week journey, keeping in mind that our goal must always include a closer walk with Him who loves us. Allow this Lent to be a conversion experience and pray that we all become a new creation in Christ.

Deacon Phil