First Sunday of Lent

The deathbed words or advice of well-known people run the gamut from inspiring to darkly humorous. The dramatist Oscar Wilde remarked, “Either that wallpaper goes, or I do.” King David told his son Solomon, “Be strong, be courageous, and keep the charge of the Lord your God.” Today’s First Reading is a very small part of the final words of Moses to the Israelite people. It takes up virtually the entire book of Deuteronomy!

The structure and content of this passage are well-adapted to our position in the liturgical year and in our own lives. So, for a few moments, we’ll take a closer look at today’s passage from Deuteronomy.

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Entrance Antiphon: Ps 91(90):15-16 – “When he calls on Me, I will answer him; I will deliver him and give him glory, I will grant him length of days.”

First Reading: Dt 26:4-10 – “The confession of faith of the chosen people.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 – “Be with me Lord, when I am in trouble.”

Second Reading: Rom 10:8-13 – “The confession of faith of all believers in Christ.”

Verse before the Gospel: Mt 4:4b – “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”

Gospel: Lk 4:1-13 – “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert and was tempted.”

Communion Antiphon: Mt 4:4b – “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”

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First there is the physical setting … The Israelites are camped on the bank of the Jordan River, about to cross and enter the Promised Land. We know that God told Moses that he will not enter the Promised Land. And he wants to prepare the people for the dangers that lie ahead. The greatest danger is spiritual. There is the temptation to fall away from faithfulness to the covenant.

Moses follows two principal threads. He begins by recounting their journey as a people. In doing that, he gives the history of God’s gracious kindness to them. He also sets and reviews the prescriptions they are to live by in obedience and gratitude.

What we read today is a micro-version of those two threads found throughout Deuteronomy. There are prescriptions for a festival of first fruits, a festival of gratitude, and as they make their offering, they are to recite a micro-history, personalizing the Israelite experience to themselves. In the book of Deuteronomy, this will be one of many regularly occurring liturgical reminders.

Contrast the experience of the Jewish people with our annual experience of Lent. Lent culminates in our celebration of the Triduum … Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday … and it serves a similar experience … we remember the past … we remember the events that began it all … we remember where we came from. The Israelites were in bondage in Egypt … And today in 2025, we were … we are in the bondage of sin.

The Israelites offered their first fruits to the Lord. We too can offer our first fruits, which are … a restored righteousness … a renewed appreciation of God’s graciousness, … and a renewed dedication to follow the commandments of Jesus Christ.

Remember the purpose of our Lenten penance is not to earn forgiveness, nor is it to become some kind of spiritual giant. The purpose of our Lenten penance is to right the wrongs we’ve done.  That’s why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is so important and why it’s important to go often … every four to six weeks … not just once or twice a year … or once every couple of years. There is an emphasis to try to match the penance with our sins. And most importantly remember that in a few weeks’ time, at Easter, like the Israelites in Deuteronomy Chapter 26, we too will make merry over all the good things the Lord our God has given us.

So now, take what I have said and apply all of this personally. Like the Israelites, each of us is about to enter a new land. “Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.” The stages of bondage, wandering, and entry to new life repeat in different ways as we journey. Reflect on your own personal journey. We owe it to God, to ourselves, and to our faith community to maintain our spiritual health. And as we move forward, we should eliminate or at least keep to a minimum any comparisons you may make to others (well, maybe I’m not as good as ______, but I’m really not as bad as ______). We are all at different places on the same journey … the journey to heaven … we have gifts and talents and abilities to help us deal with the crosses God has given us. They aren’t the same because our crosses and our challenges aren’t the same.

So, this Sunday and this week, I ask you to consider the following: In what ways was I in bondage to sin and selfishness? In what ways am I still? How have I wandered … confused … uncertain … or even lost? Do I maintain faith in God’s grace even in spiritually dark times? What liberation and source of joy would I like to experience during the Easter season? Like the Israelites whom Moses addressed, we must be mindful of our spiritual journey thus far and prepare to enter the rest of our lives.

And so, as we conclude the Liturgy of the Word and begin the Liturgy of the Eucharist … we need to prepare ourselves to offer and to receive Jesus Christ, our Savior. We need to remember Him and to reflect on His ultimate sacrifice … the sacrifice that has redeemed us from bondage and we remember that it is He who will guide us through the terrain ahead. May God bless you.