Temptations, Intersections, LENT (2017-03-05)

Sunday 5 March 2017, 1^st Sunday LENT

 • Genesis 2:7-9 • Psalm 51 • Romans 5:12-19 • Matthew 4:1-11•

[__01__]   At every crossroads, at every intersection, a direction and destination is taken and decided.

At the crossroads or intersection of Main Street and Eagle Rock Avenue in West Orange, or at Broadway and 7^th Avenue in Times Square, we decide a destination and direction. There are temptations in both places, perhaps more in Times Square.

          Uptown. Downtown. Uphill. Downhill. North. South. East. West.

[__02__]    In our Gospel reading this Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent, Jesus had been led into the desert by the Holy Spirit to begin 40 days of prayer, fasting and giving of himself before God.

          From this, comes our own FORTY days of Lent before Easter and Holy Week. And, Jesus himself was following the path of Moses and Elijah. Both Moses and Elijah – under different circumstances – also went without food or drink for forty days.

          Our tradition of abstaining from meat – of not eating meat – on Fridays during Lent is our effort to walk in the footsteps of Christ, to follow his journey.

[__03__]    We have just read about his 3 temptations, the first of which is a temptation based in hunger, in desire for food, for nourishment.

          It is also a temptation based in a desire for change, for transformation.

[__04__]   In this first temptation – or first intersection or crossroads in the desert – we might ask what is the attitude of our Savior towards prayer?

          And, prayer is one of the practices we are asked to make more explicit, more deliberate during Lent.

          What was the expectation of our Savior in his prayer and praying? What is your and my expectation and hope in our prayer?

[__05__]    Certainly, it is right and good that we should pray for good things to happen, for health, for strength, for ourselves and others.

          In silence and quiet, we acknowledge our need for God’s help and energy and strength.

          Yes, we all have difficulties – crises – in which we need God’s grace.

          However, do we only pray in order that God will change stones into bread?

          In other words, are we praying only for a material and physical change to the circumstances or conditions of my life?

          Or, am I willing to pray that I myself can be changed, converted. That my heart of stone will also become the heart of flesh that the prophet Ezekiel speaks of. (cf. Ezekiel 11:19)

[*** pause ***]

[__06__]   Several years ago, I recall that I was at a crossroads, at an intersection.  I had car trouble, trouble with the steering, the direction, the reliability of my car.

          I had been driving this particular car for about three years. But, suddenly, it was very unsteady, seemed unreliable. It was particularly dangerous when the road was wet. I feared it would be even more treacherous in the snow.

          I was lamenting that I would have replace the car after only three years.

          But, meanwhile, I had really done nothing to investigate the cause. I was – in a sense – surrendering to the circumstance and condition. I had theories about the PHYSICS, the CHEMISTRY, and the ECONOMICS of the vehicle.

          But, still, I had not been to an actual mechanic.

          Finally, I went to a mechanic and learned that the fault was not in the vehicle – in its totality – but only in the tires and the tire pressure. The fault, in this case, was forutunately easily remedied and repaired.

[__07__]    You and I encounter situations that are certainly worse than this little problem. But, we also have a way – I know I have a a way – of magnification and zooming in, to create a bigger problem, a worldwide catastrophe, when the problem is not localized and not yet globalized.

          Did I even know what the problem was? Did I care? Perhaps, I just wanted to feel sorry for myself.

          I wanted someone to turn this stone of poor tire pressure into the bread of a newer vehicle.

         

[__08__]    You and I encounter stones which may be immobile, immovable, …

          For example, there may be a difficult crisis, an illness, a subject in school, a project at work.

          What we may desire at such times is a magical and immediate transformation.

          I.e., turn stones into bread.

          We want the dishonest or selfish person to become saintly and charitable.

          We want the other person or the condition to be changed.

         

[__09__]    This is the temptation. This is the crossroads.

          But, are we willing to examine ourselves, our own lives or – in my example – my own vehicle.

[__10__]     Our Savior is reminding us that what we survive on is not the material of the bread, but the spirit of the words that come forth from the mouth of God.

          In our own loving and intimate relationships, are not really nourished for the long term not by what we give materially or financially but also by the word of our promises, our commitments to each other.

[__11__]      I hope and pray that this Lenten season will help you and me – all of us – at moments of intersection, of decision, choice, temptation.

          Yes, in our prayer we may prayer for change in circumstances and help and wisdom.

          However , are we not also praying that we can be changed, that we can adapt and that you and can take up the cross each day.

          At Lourdes, during Lent, I invite you to consider coming to Mass during the week if time permits, to join us for Stations of the Cross on our scheduled Fridays, for our St. Joseph Novena starting on March 11.

          And, wherever we are to remember the needs of the others we encounter in our parish family. We come to these intersections, these crossroads together.

          Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for Us.  [__fin__]