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2023. 02.26. 1st Sunday Lent ●● Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7 ●● Psalm 51 ●● Romans 5:12-19 ●● Matthew 4:1-11 ●● Title: Repentance. Temptations. Lent
(Sources: (1) A Carthusian Miscellay, (2) Peter Kreeft, Catholic Christianity: Catechism Guide )
[__01__] There's
the story of a person who visited a monastery and asked the abbot or the priest
or Padre in charge. What do the monks do in their old day? And the abbot
responded, we fall down, we get up and we fall down again. symbolizing
repentance, forgiveness, repentance again, admitting we're wrong, and acts of
contrition or apologies. I’d like to touch on both Lenten repentance and also
the temptations.
[__02__] Part
One. REPENTANCE Recently, I read an article about the
qualities of a good and decent apology. (https://www.npr.org/2023/01/25/1150972343/how-to-say-sorry-give-good-apology)
I bring this up because we pray/read today
the classic biblical act of contrition -
or, “I-am-sorry-to-God” statement
– in Psalm 51, the responsorial psalm.
It the admission of guilt, the taking
of responsibility by King David of Israel.
Why was David so sorry?
David the king – the # 1 head honcho
leader in Jerusalem – was famous not only for his reign but also for his
repentance.
And, in Psalm 51, David was stating
his “I am sorry” / contrition for the affair with Bathsheba, his sinful scandal
and complex cover-up.
[__03__] In the article about what makes a good
apology, the author notes some things NOT to do, some things which have crossed
my mind in admitting I was wrong:
(a) OBVIOUSLY –
do not say the word “obviously”, e.g., “I obviously know how hurt you must be”
(how could I know ?) or “obviously, I am sorry”. If these things were so
obvious, the apology would not be necessary!
(b) “OBVIOUSLY” /
King David – he was guilty of taking advantage of his power and position. That
was obvious. It is not obvious, until he got caught whether he was sorry.
(c) “I didn’t mean to…” Do not say this. When we hurt someone, we
really have to recognize the IMPACT or EFFECT of our actions rather than what
we intended. God will judge the intentions of our hearts. After all, David “didn’t mean to cause a scandal”
. He tried to cover it up !
[__04__] Psalm 51 is a good apology or act of
contrition, because it shows David’s trust in God
This is his act of contrition: “Have mercy
on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my
offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.” (Psalm 51)
Being “washed” or
“purified” is what both baptism and the sacrament of confession/penance do.
“A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me” (Psalm 51)
David has fallen but
wants to get back up again.
[__06__] As his penance, David does not “resign” as
king, but promises to lead sinners back to God by preaching divine justice.
Instead of a merely external
sacrifice, David offers the tribute of a contrite and humble heart.
Does the value – “the stock price” or
“property value”– of David’s kingdom rise as a result? Yes, David is the leader
who promises to do better. David’s actions are beneficial to his people, to his
country.
And, when you and I are sincere in our
contrition and apologies, we are benefiting others.
I have learned – sometimes painfully – that
in making a sincere apology it’s important to recognize it is not all about me
!
Then again, my apology alone – and David’s
apology alone is not what changes the world. Rather, it is Jesus’ sacrifice
This is Paul’s message in Romans: "For just as through the disobedience
of the one man the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous."
(Romans 5: __)
Part Two.Temptations
[__07.01:1st. Lust of the Flesh_]
It may seem antiquated or obsolete to speak
about the devil / Satan as a source of evil. Even St. Paul says, the “love of
money is the root of all evil.”
(___ref_)
And, didn’t Jesus crush and defeat the devil
by suffering and dying on the Cross?
The next time you and I feel distressed by
our past failures, we are called to remember that “Jesus’s blood was poured out
for the forgiveness of sins.” (__quote___)
The devil works by persuading us – by
appearances – not that pure evil is really “good”. Such a deception would be
too obvious. The devil does not even deny the existence of God or the angels.
Rather the devil suggests – such as he does
to Adam and Eve – that God’s plan is really not beneficial to them.
So, Adam and Eve, you better take matters
into your own hands.
Each temptation is not a choice between “pure
good” and “pure evil”.
For
example, the serpent/devil is correct in saying that the fruit of the tree is
good for food.
And we have a God-given natural desire
in our flesh and blood for food, calories. So did Adam and Eve.
God prohibited them from eating of the
1 tree neither as a conservation effort nor as dietary choice. God prohibited
the 1 tree so that Adam and Eve would know what free choice really meant. Being
able to do “whatever / wherever / whenever” is not freedom.
Through this temptation – the lust of
the flesh – they learn (and Jesus also demonstrates in the desert) that freedom is not measured by maximizing of
comfort but by our doing good even when
it’s uncomfortable.
The “lust of the flesh” can get in the
way …our Lenten fasts help us to grow in freedom !
[_07.02: 2nd. Lust of the Eyes _]
And one of
the things that we might be tempted by is to be look good in the eyes of
others. We want others to like us, we want to be popular, we want to be
stronger. And the devil tempts Jesus with this temptation, that if Jesus does
something packed, spectacular, people will really follow Him, they will really
trust him. And I can also be tempted by this, especially because I may have a
desire to please others, to make things good for others, or to be popular in
others eyes. One of the reasons we give alms or give charity during Lent is not
necessarily to be popular that people who give away lots of money are popular.
Okay, that's good news. But it's not why we give alms or give charity. One of
the things we can do during Lent or do any time really, is to give alms or to
give charity to someone who cannot repay you or cannot repay us. Imagine being
nice to the kid in your class, who is the least popular who nobody likes, okay?
That kid will not repay you, okay? Like that kid might not even appreciate you
or being nice to the neighbor that nobody else likes. It is tempting to the
eyes, only to be nice to those who are going to repay us. Jesus says, however,
Love your enemy, pray for those who persecute you. So we are called to give
charity to contradict this -- lust of the eyes -- this desire to look good in the
eyes of others.
[_07.02: 3rd. Pride of Life _]
This is
demo’d in devil’s offer to Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus will
only swear an oath, only promise allegiance to him.
And we
come to church to pray to recognize that our allegiance our true loyalty is to
God, not to anybody else.
In the
desert, Jesus is tempted, and we are tempted, in our “feelings” which the devil
has some access to.
Peter Kreeft makes an important distinction:
“Feelings are influenced by external things,
like fashions or fads, wind or weather … the devil can influence our feelings,
but he has no control over our faith.” (Catholic Christianity: Catechism Guide,
Chapter 1 on “Faith”)
And isn't
this true of other people that other people can affect how we feel, but they
don't really change what we truly know and believe?
In a book
I read about Catholic religious life in the monastery, the author observes that
the temptations are tests of faith or of confidence in God. Faith is tested not
simply by choosing what is absolutely good over what is absolutely evil.
That's
true, we are called to reject what is absolutely evil. But faith is also tested
when we choose God in His greatness over things that are merely materially
good. Or even just materially comfortable. For example, “staying angry”, can be
a stimulant, or taste sweet, like chocolate. And sometimes our anger is
justified. It may come from a place that's good. And chocolate is not entirely
bad!
But in
these and other cases, God is asking us to give up what is partially good – e.g.,
our own material comfort --- for what is completely good, serving Him. Jesus
fasted in the desert so that he could give up his life. He is asking us to do
the same in little ways by our Lenten disciplines.
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