Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.

By: Sister Karen Dietz

Opening Prayer

Loving God, as we begin the Lenten season anew, may we grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ. Amen.

Reading

Matthew 4: 1 - 11

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry.  The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written:

‘One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,  and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:

‘He will command his angels concerning you’
 and ‘with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’”  Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,  and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written:

‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship
 and him alone shall you serve.’”

 Then the devil left him and behold, angels came and ministered to him.

Reflection

We are finding ourselves at the beginning of another Lenten season. We know well that the season calls us to prayer, fasting and almsgiving and we have 40 days to move through this and figure out what works best for us. The scriptures for this first weekend are familiar to us. Jesus is preparing to begin his public life and this starts by him spending forty days in the desert alone. At the end of this intense time of prayer and reflection, Jesus is tempted and with God’s help is able to resist. What does this mean for us as we embark on this time?

First, I think of Jesus taking the time to reflect and pray. Following his example, we too are invited into a time that is different. The church is stripped of decoration and the prayers are simple. The music is more reflective. I hope to take more time for quiet prayer these days. I am trying to simplify my “input” for prayer and hoping to add more silence. I am asking God to open my heart to the needs of the world. The best way I know to do this is to make “space” by not cluttering my prayer with too many words.

Second, I am paying attention to the ways I am tempted along the way. Sometimes it is when I start mindlessly scrolling before falling asleep. It could be the temptation to add more readings or music to my prayer rather than silence. Perhaps it is in accepting too many invitations to be with others when I am feeling called to spend more time with God. I can be tempted to become angry or frustrated and use words that harm rather than build up. How are you tempted? Have you asked God to help you get beyond this? God wants to be with us and to help us along the way. I am praying to remember that I do not need to spiritually muscle my way to Easter when I have God to walk with me and to help me.

Closing Prayer

One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. God help us to pray and to resist the temptations of this world so that we might become more deeply aware of you and of the needs of those around us. Amen.

Welcoming the Holy