WHO IS OUR TRUE MASTER?

1st Sunday of Lent
First Reading (Deuteronomy 26:4-10)

The Israelite proclaims his Faith

Then the priest shall take the large basket from your hands and place it before the altar of Yahweh your God, and you shall say these words before Yahweh,” My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt to find refuge there, while still few in number; but in that country, he became a great and powerful nation. The Egyptians maltreated us, oppressed us and subjected us to harsh slavery. So we called Yahweh, the God of our fathers, and Yahweh listened to us. He saw our humiliation, our hand and our labor and the oppression to which we were subjected. He brought us out of Egypt with a firm hand, manifesting his power with signs and awesome wonders. And he bought us here with milk and honey. So now I bring and offer the first fruits of the land which you, Yahweh have given me.”


Second Reading (Romans 10: 8-13)

True righteousness coming from faith also says: The word of God is near you, on your lips and your hearts. This is the message we preach and this is faith. You are saved if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart you believe that God raised him from the dead. By believing from the Heart, you obtain true righteousness: by confessing the faith with your lips you are saved. For scripture says: no one who believes in him will be ashamed. Here there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; all have the same Lord, who is very generous with whoever calls on him. Truly, all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.


Gospel Reading (Luke 4: 1-13)

Jesus was now full of spirit. As he returned from Jordan, the spirit led him into the desert where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He did not eat anything during that time, and in the end he was hungry. The devil then said to him” I f you are the son of God, tell this stone to turn into bread”. But Jesus answered, “Scripture says: People cannot live on bread alone.”
Then the devil took him up to a high place and showed him in a flash all the nations of the world. And he said to Jesus, “I can give you power over all the nations and their wealth will be yours, for power and wealth have been delivered to me and I give them to whom I wish. All this will be yours provided that you worship me. But Jesus replied, “Scripture says: You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.”
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem and set him on the highest wall of the temple and he said. “”If you are the son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: God will order his angels to take care of you and again: They will hold you and their hands, lest you hurt your foot on the stones.”But Jesus replied, “It is written: You shall not challenge the Lord your God.”
When the devil had exhausted every way of tempting Jesus he left him, to return another time.

Questions for reflection:

1. Who am I serving?
2. Which part of my life do I prioritize?
3. Who are the people who have influenced me?
4. Do I weigh other people? How do I weigh other people?

Jesus tells us that the right way is always not the easiest road to travel. While the other way offers all the comfort and luxury and the world. God gave us the free will to choose the road we want to go. A lot of times we use the wrong road to salvation but we have a God who always gives second chances every time we got astray. It is up to us to accept the opportunity of second chances that God is offering to us or to continue to refuse Him and pursue a way of sinful life.