There is a kind of ‘game plan’ in the series of Sunday gospel readings during Lent. The readings start with events from the life of Jesus, continue with parables, and then finish with a dramatic rescue.
Each of the gospel readings has its own distinct message for us but the entire sequence communicates a message as well. Taking a bird’s eye view of all five of these readings gives us a direction of where we started, what awaits us, and how to get there.
This year we are in Sequence C of the gospel readings and four out of the five readings come from St. Luke. Many parishes, however, mix in different gospels from the RCIA Scrutinies (explanation of the Scrutinies and how they relate to the different gospel readings here).
The usual Sequence C Sunday readings are:
- 1st Sunday of Lent: Luke 4:1-13, the temptation in the desert
- 2nd Sunday of Lent: Luke 9:28-36, the Transfiguration
- 3rd Sunday of Lent: Luke 13:1-9, repentance & parable of the fig tree
- 4th Sunday of Lent: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32, the parable of the prodigal son
- 5th Sunday of Lent: John 8:1-11, the woman caught in adultery
Attacked in the Desert
The beginning of Lent starts appropriately with St. Luke’s account of the temptation in the desert. Jesus goes into the wilderness before His public ministry to fast and pray, but Luke (and also Matthew and Mark) specifically mentions that Jesus went into the desert to be tempted. For us as disciples, since none of us are above the Master (John 13:16), we can expect the same treatment.
Whatever our disciplines during Lent, we can count on the evil one to tempt us just as he tempted Jesus. In previous years, I was sometimes surprised by how difficult it was to accomplish my simple Lenten resolutions. But why? I had been under the illusion that Lent was a breeze and that holiness would automatically come.
This applies not only to Lent but to any striving in the improvement of our spiritual life. Having a solid habit of mental prayer, incorporating fasting, saying the rosary, and many other efforts never sound hard at the outset. Accomplishing them, however? Satan is ready to sweet talk us, assist us in justifying our lack of commitment, and point us in the direction of worldly glory.
This is part of the good news? No wonder some people dislike Lent!
Temptation is always around
Yet temptation is not proof that God does not love us. It is simply a fact of life for fallen humanity. The good news rests in the Incarnation: Jesus came down from perfection in heaven to save us. He went into the desert specifically to encounter temptation and defeated it. He offers us the very same grace in our battle with temptation. That is amazing news! As the author of Hebrews says, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help” [Hebrews 4:15-16].
That passage underscores what Jesus told the apostles at the Last Supper, that “in the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world” [John 16:33].
What Awaits Us
St. Peter was there at the Transfiguration and mentioned it in his second epistle (2 Peter 1:17-18). I wonder if that moment flashed back in Peter’s memory during the night of Jesus’ trial. The scene on top of the mountain must have been breathtaking! Looking at Jesus in His heavenly glory, seeing Moses and Elijah (and somehow knowing it was them), and hearing the voice of the Father.
The eternal triumph of Christ awaits all who run the race and fight the good fight—yet what also awaits us are failures in faith and charity. For any of us that considers their faith and charity unassailable, we would do well to remember Peter on Holy Thursday night:
“Woman, I do not know him.”
“My friend, I am not [one of them].”
“My friend, I do not know what you are talking about” [Luke 22:57-61].
These denials from of Peter could very well be from any of us. Just like Peter, we continue to sin after our own mountaintop experiences. Have you ever put aside the teaching of the Catholic faith to indulge in mortal sin? Or join in the ridicule of another person to fit in with the crowd? Worse yet, have we ever denied that we are Catholic, or distanced ourselves from any association with Our Lord?
“Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father” [Matthew 10:32-33]. The glory of heaven is beyond our wildest dreams but it is not a participation trophy.
How We Get There
In spite of our weaknesses, Jesus will never give up on us. Have you ever reflected on your life to notice times where God stepped in and saved you? If it’s been a while, take that to prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any forgotten moments to you. Then thank God!
Maybe Jesus’ intervention in your life was like the gentle cultivation of the barren fig tree. Even after three years of a lack of fruitfulness—do any periods of our lives parallel that?—the gardener offers to give the tree some extra care. Similarly, Our Lord offers His mercy to us no matter how many times we fall.
The catch is, even the gardener in the parable admitted the fig tree may have limited time. If we refuse His mercy and do not repent, there may come a time that it will be too late.
Or, perhaps it was like repentant prodigal son or the woman caught in adultery. When the consequences of sin catch up to us, or when Satan accuses us, it can be overwhelming. Only Christ has the power to heal our wounds. As He saved the woman caught in adultery from death, He saves us as well. While we may not be in danger of physical death, unrepentant mortal sin will cause us spiritual death. Into the breach steps Our Lord when we ask for mercy: “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
Keep Walking on the Road to Holiness
Jesus engaged in battle with the devil and won. He knows what it is like to be tempted and makes available to us that same conquering grace. Do we cooperate with that grace?
Our Lord also knows that our faith is often weak and we need a boost from time to time. He showed Peter, James, and John His true nature, and He does the same to us. Is it difficult to maintain our faith when we run into our own “Holy Thursday” challenge, as Peter did?
After Easter, the Church has the joyous feast of Divine Mercy. The Lord will not force His mercy upon us, however. What obstacles stand in our way to embracing the Lord’s mercy? Sometimes they are obstacles we hold onto or refuse to give up. If that is the case, are any of those obstacles worth the risk of hell?
The Church has put together a rich selection of readings for us in Lent. May our Lenten practices make us better than we ever have been before!
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