In today’s gospel we read that in the wilderness Jesus was tempted by Satan and was with the wild beasts. In other accounts we read how Jesus was tripped by Satan to accept his propositions for which all these Jesus denounced. We may surmise that this has scarred Jesus and may assume, too, that he has claimed back his life and has restored the grace to which he believes his God is the true source of grace and he is to accomplish and to dispense throughout the course of his earthly life.

Just as the forty days in the wilderness would be significant to Jesus, it could also be true to every man or woman who in one way or the other experiences such unsettling if not traumatic life event.

Sr. Diana Ortiz, an American Ursulline (1959-2021) sister of St. Joseph, has underwent such day in the wilderness of her torturers in 1989 when she was as a missionary working as teacher for the indigenous children in the western highlands of Guatemala. Pockmarked with more than hundred cigarettes burns at her back, she was also hand tied at the pit full of human bodies of men, women, and children some were still alive left for dead and to rot. Had it not for the intervention for a man she believed to be an American she would have died at the pit, too. The man got her out from that ordeal to transfer her to another place during which he told her to forgive her torturers. During the trip, Sr Diana, thought he would kill her she jumped out of the car to claim her life and to tell her story.

After years of intensive medical therapy, she returned to her community without her past memory said to be true to people who subjected to tortures. When she claimed back her life, she became a champion for survivors of tortures as she compelled the American government the released of documents showing decades of complicity to human rights abuses in Guatemala during the t 36 years of civil war.
When Jesus claims his life, we must remember, that he is not enamored to the enticements of Satan nor he looks back at what he has gone through as forsaken and abandoned. Jesus looks at what grace could accomplish and dispenses this grace through his action of justice, reparation, forgiveness and reconciliation.

In our time, the days in the wilderness can be told as what Sr. Diana has gone through. During this season of Lent, it can be told that in the life of Jesus and in Sr. Diana and to many who have had days of wilderness, should one ask for the grace of courage and perseverance to claim back his/her life a season of grace resurges.

Fr. Rene Taneza

Or

After finishing high school, I made the choice of entering the seminary. A few years before graduating, my heart was set to enroll myself into an Engineering course in college. After my graduation from the seminary, and earning a degree in Philosophy and Mass Communication, I have decided to continue my priestly formation towards the religious life at the congregation I have chosen. All of these were never realized, until a friend had invited me to spend my Theology education here in the US. By far, these are some of the biggest choices I have made in my life. I chose to become a priest, rather than an engineer. I chose to be a diocesan priest, rather than a religious priest. I chose to exercise my priesthood in a foreign land, rather than in my native place. Convinced that I had made the right decisions and choices, I also realized that it is God who chose me first. And in response, I chose Him.

Our three readings today speak about how God chooses to save “us”. In the first reading, we see that generations after Adam and Eve, humanity continued to sin and to be disobedient to God. Sinful humanity must have merited the anger and justice of God. And the flood is just a fitting response to a rebellious people. But even then, God chose to save Noah and his family, plus the numerous pairs of animals whom God has created, inside Noah’s Ark. After the flood, God renewed His covenant with His people, symbolized by the rainbow. “I will save you. I will not allow water to destroy you again.” Still, succeeding events show, that people have chosen to continue to sin and rebel against God. God's choice in our favor, is not met with a corresponding goodwill from His people.

In the second reading, Peter presents Jesus, as The One who is Subjected to Death. At first glance, we might even seem to think that Noah is luckier than Jesus; because Noah enjoyed the saving power of God, while Jesus experienced the destruction that sinners deserved. But God raised Jesus up into the Life of the Spirit. In His resurrection, God made a new covenant saying, “You will be saved. I open the gates of heaven.” All of this happens, because of His resurrection. As you can see, in Jesus' death, God chose to save humanity, by the resurrection of His Son.

The gospel reading is Mark’s version of the Temptation of Jesus. The three ways, in which Jesus was tempted, were not mentioned. But we read that,“Jesus was drove out into the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan”. After His temptation in the desert, Jesus begins His public ministry. We can say that His Temptation is His formation process, before embarking on His ministry. The human nature of Jesus had to be formed, strengthened, and fortified. In the end, Jesus made the profound choice, “I am for God!” and, “I choose God!” Coming out strong and ready, He proclaimed, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

My dear brothers and sisters, everyday, we are constantly faced with many temptations. With it, we are asked to make a choice. When we are tempted, we are made to confront the evil forces that are against God and His reign. We must always remember that God has chosen us, to save us. How about us? Do we turn away from evil, converted, ward off the temptations, and choose God?

Fr. Kerwin Gaza

Or

Today is the First Sunday of Lent. During this holy season, we are encouraged to repent, to feel sorrow for our sins and renew our relationship to God. Our Gospel today presents Jesus preparing for his public life. He goes to the desert where he spends forty days praying. There he is tempted by Satan, our great enemy. But there are people who do not believe in it. Some people say, it is just a product of our imagination.

NO. Sacred Scriptures speak of him often as a spiritual and concrete being. He's a fallen angel. Jesus defines him by saying: "He is a liar and the father of lies." St. Peter describes him as a roaring lion: "Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” Pope Paul VI teaches: "The devil is the number one enemy, he is a tempter par excellence.”

How do we fight temptation? Temptation cannot stay away from us. It is the nature of temptation to come closer to us until he entices us to commit sin. That is why, we should be the one staying away from temptation and not the other way around. Our first defense against temptation is prayer. That is why we always need to look up to God and pray. The purpose of temptation is to ensnare us and to draw us away from God. Prayer, is the exact opposite. Prayer makes us closer to God.

Like Jesus, our strength comes from God. But when temptation comes, we should never be disheartened. Temptation can be a danger and opportunity. It can be danger if we give in, it would be an opportunity if we resist. The greater the temptations we overcome, the stronger, wiser and better we become. Famous author Rick Warren said, “Every time you defeat a temptation, you become more like Jesus.”

As we journey this holy season, we ask the Lord for the grace and protection to be firm and strong to always say NO to temptations.

Fr. Reymel Ramos