Homily for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year C
Theme: “YOU MUST NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST”
By: Fr. Cajetan Anyanwu
Homily for Sunday March 6 2022
This is the 1st Sunday of Lent. Every Christian knows what Lent is all about. Many non-Christians also come to receive the ashes on Ash Wednesday as a mark of repentance and humility and as a reminder that, “We are DUST and unto DUST we shall return.” During Lent, the followers of Christ try their best to exercise caution over the excesses of bodily desires. When we fast, the inordinate desires of the body are subdued and the spirit is uplifted. By giving alms, we draw the grace of God unto ourselves. When we pray, the mercy of God comes down upon us to delivers us from the evil one. Prayer delivered God’s people from slavery. “But we called on the Lord, the God of our fathers, The Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt…” (Deut. 26:1-10).
Although many temptations come our way during Lent, they are meant to strengthen us in faith. Lent is not a time to show that we are more powerful or more intelligent than others. It is not a time of lip-service or deception or aggression and invasion. It is a moment of sober reflection on our past lives in order to make amendments and to draw spiritual strength from the Lord. Paul says: “If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved” (Rom. 10:8-13).
Jesus was tempted in various ways to denounce God the Father, but he resisted the devil. In the same way, if we follow Jesus with sincere hearts, we must resist and reject the devil and all his evil insinuations. Many who should keep the world going peacefully are the ones dividing it. Some world leaders have accepted the offer from the devil who showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world and said to him: “I will give you all this power and the glory of the kingdoms… if you worship me” (Lk. 4:1-13). Like Jesus, let us resist the devil by boldly saying: “You must not put the Lord your God to the test.” May God help us to be strong in faith, amen. Happy Lenten season!
Fr. Cajetan Anyanwu