4^TH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: ARE WE ALSO BLIND?

(John 9: 1-41)

Today is the fourth Sunday of Lent. It is traditionally known as the Laetare Sunday. Laetare is the Latin word for "Rejoice." It is derived from the entrance antiphon of today, which was taken from Isaiah 66:10-11. It reads: "Rejoice Jerusalem and all who love her. Be joyful, all you who were in mourning..."

Rejoicing in Lent? Rejoicing during the commemoration of the sufferings of Christ? Rejoice in this trying time? God says: "Rejoice." This is addressed to those who are mourning over Jerusalem, those who received that invitation sent out on the Ash Wednesday, those who hearkened to the song: "Oh come and mourn with me a while...Jesus our Lord is crucified".

Indeed, we should rejoice in hope. We should rejoice with an eye on the resurrection of Christ for those who suffered with Him shall also reign with. We rejoice that through the observances of this holy season, God continues to lighten our paths as we journey along with Him. We rejoice in appreciation to God for the Amazing Grace that saved wretched ones like us, we rejoice that we once were lost but now found, were blind like the man in the Gospel of today but now can see.

But are we actually seeing or still blind after the whole process of divine illumination? Are we also blind? Was the question some pharisees directed to Jesus today in their effort to claim to know and to see. Let us rather make it an introspective inquiry. Are we blind:

 

ARE WE BLIND TO APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD?

This is a time we come before the Lord the way we are and tell ourselves the truth about ourselves, namely that we are blind. That not even our blindness or the present hopeless situations should stop us from seeking the Lord.( All you who seek a comfort sure in trouble and distress whatever sorrows vexed the mind, all to that heart draw near... )The blind man of today's Gospel did not fake sight. He never claimed to see. Even after his healing, he proclaimed it severally that he was blind from birth. In baptism, we were led out of darkness and blindness and transferred into the kingdom of God's light. Are you still seeing? Are people still seeing the light of Christ in you? Do you glory in your blindness? Don't! Remove that black google, making you pretend that nothing is wrong with you. Jesus saw the pitiable state of the blind man and gave him attention. May God give attention to everyone still living in blindness but who is docile to his operations.

 

ARE WE BLIND TO GOD'S GLORY IN OUR LIVES

The reply of Jesus to the disciples who asked him who was the cause of the man's blindness was interesting. He replied them that it was neither the man's sin nor that of the parents that made him blind, but that the work of God may be made manifest in his life. Are there dark moments in your life or dark areas of your life or situations you're not proud of, or situations of your life you are not happy about? Jesus is saying that God's glory can be manifested through it. Don't be blind to see the hand of God operating in your life. He will make a way where there seems to be none. Yes, our eyes may be closed to His ways, but He will do what no human can do to restore you.

 

ARE WE BLIND TO DIVINE INSTRUCTIONS AND SIGNS?

When Jesus had spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eye, He commanded him to go and wash in Siloam pool. He followed that instruction and began to see. To see, we must listen to God. We must follow where he leads as the shepherd of our soul. We must allow ourselves to be directed by him. As we are asked to rejoice in hope this day, let us not forget the Lenten instructions of going for confessions, helping the poor, almsgiving, prayers.

 

ARE WE BLIND TO LOOK INWARD?

The Pharisees were the real blind people. They were indeed the most miserable of the blind. Their blindness was so bad that they never knew the seriousness of their situation. Instead of affirming like the healed blind man of today that they have been blind from birth, they rather queried: Are we also blind? They were not acquainted but condemned to remain in their blindness. Never claim what you're not. Accept the truth about your need for God's help.

 

ARE WE BLIND TO BEAR TESTIMONY?

The healed man became a missionary, an evangelist, and a fearless preacher of the word of God. Even without recognising Jesus, he became His emissary. And when eventually he came to recognise Him, he believed in Him and worshipped Him. Don't close your eyes to see reasons God give you daily to testify to His greatness in the world, in your family, in your workplace, in the Church wherever you may find yourself.

May God bless His word in our heart

 

LET US PRAY

We thank You, Lord God, for the invitation You have given us to be happy in You.

May we continue to savour the sweetness and joy of Your presence, and may no darkness stop us from seeing Your goodness and light in our lives. Sustain us as by Your grace, we continue to journey to the Paschal feast through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday, Rejoice in the Lord. (Fourth Sunday of Lent)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 3^rd Sunday of Lent, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Jesus, the True Satisfier of the Human Heart

Readings: Ex 17:3–7; Rom 5:1–2, 5–8; Jn 4:5–42

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this Third Sunday of Lent, the Church invites us to welcome into our hearts the One who alone can give the deep satisfaction we constantly yearn for. That One is Christ. The human heart is always searching; it longs every day for something beyond itself. The means we choose to satisfy this longing reveal who we are and who we are becoming.

It is in response to this inner yearning that people set goals and pursue countless projects. In fact, all human plans and activities are ultimately attempts to fill the emptiness within—a lack that pushes us to become something other than what we currently are. To satisfy this longing, some turn to alcohol, others to wealth and material possessions, others to political power, academic achievements, physical beauty, or intense gym routines. People engage in endless pursuits hoping to find fulfilment. Yet the common experience is that once one goal is achieved, another desire immediately arises. The search becomes unending until we enter the grave.

The first reading gives us a vivid example of this insatiability of the human heart. While in Egypt, the Israelites longed for freedom, and God granted it. He worked extraordinary miracles before their eyes: the ten plagues, the pillar of cloud and fire, the parting of the Red Sea, the purification of bitter water, the manna and quails. Yet, despite all these wonders, they were still not satisfied. Their hearts demanded more. In today’s first reading they murmured against Moses and against God because of the lack of water.

This is the story of the human heart. If we look closely at the Israelites’ complaints, we could see ourselves. When things go well, we praise God as the Almighty. But when difficulties arise, we quickly forget His past goodness. Many of us accuse or reject God for the smallest inconvenience.

The Gospel presents another example of a heart searching for satisfaction. The Samaritan woman tried to find happiness through relationships. She had married five men and was living with a sixth, yet her heart remained empty. True fulfilment eluded her until she met Jesus at the well.

In that encounter, Jesus revealed to her the futility of the paths she had taken. He taught her that true happiness does not come from human achievements or earthly pleasures. It comes from God. It comes from possessing Christ. Christ is the source and fountain of true joy.

As an Igbo song beautifully says, “Imebe enyi imetabeghi Jesus, imara na ibodobeghi mebe enyi”—If you have not made Jesus your friend, you have not truly begun to make friends.

Jesus told her, “Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst. The water I shall give will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

There is a thirst in every human heart that only Christ can quench. St. Augustine expressed it well: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” Material things and human relationships cannot give the deep peace our hearts desire. We have heard of wealthy people who, despite having everything, fall into depression or even take their own lives. This is because material things cannot satisfy the soul.

If Christ is absent from the heart, satisfaction will always remain out of reach. Even in abundance, we may still feel empty, restless, or depressed.

I do not know the paths you have taken—or are still taking—in your search for joy and fulfilment. But I know that Christ is the fountain of true and lasting joy. Any heart that welcomes Him receives peace and tranquility. He directs that heart toward what truly matters.

When the Samaritan woman opened her heart to Christ, her life was transformed. She found joy so profound that she could not keep it to herself. She ran to her village to announce Christ to others.

Christ does not enter our hearts to condemn us. He comes to heal, to free us from the bitterness of the past, and to open a new and brighter future. The Second Reading assures us that if Christ died for us while we were still sinners, then we can trust Him to accomplish even greater things in our lives.

Lent is a precious time to open our hearts to Christ, just as the Samaritan woman did. Let us not miss this year’s opportunity to welcome the One who alone can satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 3^RD SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: THE DIVINE THIRST AND HUMAN'S RESPONSE

(John 4:5-42)

Today is the third Sunday of Lent. Jesus announces at Jacob's well what He will repeat on the cross. Let us not forget that one of the seven statements made by Christ on the cross was: "I thirst." Let us go through the gospel to see the stages of Christ's experience in His encounter with the Samaritan woman and by extension each and every one of us. Let us try to understand what it really implies when we hear Jesus say He needs a drink from us as He says to you and I: "I thirst."

 

DIVINE WEARINESS?

After journeying with his disciples, Jesus was wearied, and He sat down beside the well. He was not only thirsty, but together with His apostles, they were also hungry. Little wonder the apostles were away. They had gone to look for bread, and Jesus sat alone, and this woman came. Jesus was wearied of a lot of things. He was wearied about the Pharisees and their dangerous traps for him together with their unbelief. He was weighed down by the many efforts already made to gather His people, and they remained in their hardheadedness. He was worn out with their attitude of not recognising His goodness, love, and compassion.

 

Are you a problem unto Jesus? Are you a headache for God? Do you break the heart of Christ with your sin? Have you not yet recognized Jesus and the grace he lavishes during this season? Have you forced Jesus out of your own life to a lonely place?

 

JESUS MAKES A SPECIAL DEMAND ON YOU

In the loneliness of the place Jesus was, He wants your attention. Just as a man woos a woman he loves, Jesus enters into conversation with us for us to open up to Him. He leads us to self-discovery and self-awareness. He wants a quench from us as individuals. Even when all have abandoned Jesus, even when all turn His request for joy, shall we also do the same? Jesus comes to us in the silence, He comes to us in our aloness, He visits us as individuals, He requests for our time, for holiness, for our confession, for our sincerity, for our desire to be good. Traditionally, Jesus should not make any demand from this woman because historically speaking, the Samaritans had nothing to do with "people of Jesus." But He demanded a drink of water from her. What are the things you will never expect Jesus to inquire about in your life? Jesus is interested in them. Not to condemn you but to redeem you. He wants your life to be a quench to His thirst. He wants your life to be a consolation for His heart so terribly wounded by sins of the world. He wants to do something new in your life. He comes to calm your troubled heart, which tells you that you're unforgivable. He wants to listen to your story and change it for good. The woman felt satisfied at the water she drew from Jesus and ran to water her entire community with the water she drew from the fountain of life. She saw reasons to worship God in spirit and in truth after opening her life to Christ.

 

WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT

Part of the thirst, hunger, and wish of Christ is that worshipers worship in spirit and truth. This is another water that will quench the thirst of Christ. This season of Lent, can we give God spirit filled preparation for Easter? Can we draw nearer to God than before? Can we tell ourselves the truth about our spiritual relationship with God and make the necessary amends? Can we stop deceiving ourselves with lips service type of worship? Can we take the stations of the cross seriously? Can we do our easter duty with devotion? Can we become true worshipers of God and become true Christians who follow Jesus at all times? This is the hour for true worship of God. Let's not be distracted by waywardness, by unholy relationships, by jumping from one man or woman to the other, one Church to the other, one man of God to the other, etc.

 

INVITE OTHERS

Jesus doesn't want this water of life to be emptied in you alone. He may start with you. But His satisfaction is when others are introduced to this same water. He thirsts for more souls. The Samaritan woman moved with joy into the city and called people to come and see the man who told her everything about her life. Will you accept what Jesus tells you about your own life? How do you handle all the invitations you have received to come and experience Divine touch? Many Samaritans came to believe in Jesus through the evangelism of the sinful woman who made her life taste good for Christ. How many persons have you been able to draw to Christ? How many virtues will you be able to acquire this year's Lenten observance. All these will go a long way to quench the thirst of Christ for souls.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for speaking to our hearts today. May we make our souls pure, holy, and available for God. May we drop our jars, our bodies, and our water vessels for You to fill us to the brim with divine grace to journey along with You through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday to you (Third Sunday of Lent)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: BE TAKEN UP HIGH APART AND TRANSFIGURED

(Matthew 17:1-9)

Jesus had just finished teaching about the cross and what lay ahead of Him. His Apostles were down spirited. The whole image of the cross, of the sorrows ahead, of awaiting dangers and insecurity took a better part of them. He thinks of how to make them realize the glory in store for them. He came up with an idea. He took them out on an excursion, sightseeing, a detoxification tour. Yes, He led them up to boost their drooping spirit.

 

LED THEM UP

Jesus wishes to change our spiritual levels. He wants to raise our hearts and minds above the ordinary. Leading up means leading away from. Leading up has to do with leaving off or leaving behind. It has to do with a leap, taking a leap of faith. It involves ascension, transcendence, and elevation. It involves going beyond. It is the Holy will of Jesus, especially this period, to invite us to lift up our hearts in prayers and in our every way of living. It is a call to remain on the side of Jesus. It involves being tireless in our spiritual journey. It challenges us to be like the eagle and take a flight from the world of sin, distraction, pettiness, prayerless living, tricks, dirty politicking, etc. Jesus takes them up from viewing His suffering as a thing of shame to seeing it as something that should draw them closer to be partakers of His glory. He takes you up to see that after the rains of your life, there must be sunshine. He takes you up to let you know that His plans for you are good. Yes, that evils in the world, and the various challenges you're facing right now do not have the final say in your life. He takes you up to make you feel special.  Think of the experience of the three apostles when Jesus took them out. They must have felt loved. It could be that the news of the death of Christ touched them most. They took it more person. You've got to take this year's Lenten programme very personal to experience the joy of Easter.

 

SET THEM APART

Many are called, but few are chosen. Jesus chose a few to represent the other Apostles. They were to witness what would solidify their faith. What they will see will go a long way to keep them apart from the bandwagon of those who saw erroneously. Having said: "If you want to be a follower, take up your cross," the Apostles started reevaluating their followership. Jesus encourages them to take it up as a distinguishing mark of an unending joy that lies ahead.

You have been consecrated and set apart by the dust you received on Ash Wednesday to be a bona fide participant in this year's Lenten observance and Easter joy. Are you responding positively to this call by living a holy life? Are you doing so by repenting and believing in the gospel and by staying away from the world and its lures?

 

TRANSFIGURATION IS IMPORTANT

Following Jesus in the hard teachings of Christianity brings us to savour the sweet presence of our Lord. It gives us an opportunity to see Christ as He really is. It enables us to put away all that makes us not to behold God face to face. In the transfiguration of Christ, we are meant to destroy all works of darkness and live pure before Him. We are invited to put on Christ as our garb and call to mind the white garment we received at baptism.

The moment of transfiguration serves as a warning to ensure that the laws and prophets are adhered to.

The transfiguration of Jesus before his disciples calls on us to build booths for Jesus to make our hearts abode of divinity. We have to listen to God this period. We have to kneel. We have to imitate Jesus, who pleased His Father, and make sure we do not offend God  through our deeds.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

May the power of resurrection help us to rise from our fears, disappointments, frustrations, and hopeless situations, from our weaknesses and from death. May we see Jesus alone and remove our attention from the world through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday (Second Sunday of Lent, Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 2^nd Sunday of Lent, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Trials and Tribulations Are at the Service of Our Future Glory

Readings: Gen 12:1–4; 2 Tim 1:8–10; Mt 17:1–9

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, the readings of today speak directly to our daily life experiences. They remind us that our trials and tribulations—our sufferings and pains—are at the service of our future joy. They teach us that if we remain strong and steadfast, the pains and struggles of today will become the map that leads us to the glory of tomorrow.

Shortly before the Transfiguration, Christ had told his disciples that he would suffer and die before entering his glory, but they did not understand him. So, he took Peter, James, and John up the mountain to show them a glimpse of the glory prepared for him, and also the path that would lead him there—the way of the Cross. We can say that between Christ and the glory prepared for him stood a painful journey to Calvary: a journey of trials and tribulations, of unjust judgment and punishment, of the cross and of death. Yet this journey of pain and death became the very map that led him to the glory God had prepared for him.

This reality speaks to us in our own life experiences. It tells us that there is no glory without suffering, no true joy without some measure of pain. To pass exams, we must burn our candles; to excel in a skill, we must dedicate hours of practice; to do well in our jobs and receive promotions, we must give our best. Between us and our destiny—our good future, our God‑given glory both on earth and in heaven—there is a long path often punctuated by difficult experiences, suffering, pain, and even unjust treatment. If embraced with faith, these painful experiences become stepping stones to future success. As the Igbo adage says: “Aka aja aja na‑ebute onu mmanu mmanu”—if you soil your hands in the farm, you will reap a good harvest.

Peter’s reaction at the sight of Christ’s glory on the mountain reveals the dilemma we often face and the deceptive voices we hear when we realize that the path to success is full of thorns. When Peter saw the glory, he exclaimed, “Lord, it is wonderful for us to be here!” He did not want Christ to descend the mountain and face the challenges that lay ahead—the very map drawn by God that would lead him to glory. Instead, he desired a shortcut, a painless path.

Dear friends in Christ, this is the kind of offer our human nature prefers. We often desire success without effort: exam success without study, riches without work, and progress without sacrifice. This is also the kind of offer the devil makes, because he knows we are attracted to the “sharp sharp” syndrome—the illusion of success without pain. But this path, which promises glory through the back door, ultimately leads us away from the glory God intends for us.

There are two maps promising to lead us to our destiny. One is drawn by God; the other is drawn by the devil.

• God’s map leads to our true destiny, but it may take us through rough paths that strengthen us with the knowledge and experience needed for the glory ahead. Let us remember that great men and women are formed under the hammer blows of experience, and the path to success is often rough.
• The devil’s map promises a short, sweet, painless journey, but it leads us far from our true destiny. If, out of fear of pain or difficulty, we abandon God’s map for the devil’s, we may enjoy a smooth ride, but it will never take us to our destination.

Christ reached his glory because he followed the map drawn for him by the Father and never abandoned it, even in the face of extreme suffering.

The first reading gives us another example: Abraham. Between Abraham and the glory God prepared for him lay a difficult journey—a journey that required him to leave his father’s land and his comfort and step into the unknown. Along the way he faced terrible trials, yet he never abandoned God’s map. Even when confronted with the infertility of his wife, he remained steadfast, trusting that God’s plan would not fail. And indeed, it did not.

We love to sing, “Abraham’s blessings are mine,” but we rarely reflect on the difficult journey that led Abraham to those blessings. His blessings did not manifest at the beginning of the journey but at the end. Sadly, many who claim Abraham’s blessings lack the faith to remain steadfast in their own life’s journey. They give up at the first sign of difficulty. If we desire Abraham’s blessings, we must be ready to demonstrate Abraham’s faith.

To receive Abraham’s blessings, we must rise from our comfort zones and journey toward God, even when the path is uncertain. Lent invites us to leave our comfort zones—comfort without sacrifice, immoral lifestyles, sinful habits, shortcuts in exams—and take up our cross to follow Christ along the path God has drawn for us. We may fear that leaving our comfort zones will plunge us into suffering since it is said that ngwere ghara ukwu osisi, aka akpara ya (if the lizard loses hold of the tree, its predator catches it). But the stories of Christ and Abraham assure us that while following God’s map may bring trials, those trials become stepping stones to the glory prepared for us.

Let us rediscover God’s map for our lives and follow it faithfully. Let us abandon the places that offer false glories—glories that do not last.

In the second reading, St Paul encourages us to bear hardship for the sake of the Gospel. He assures us that God will accompany us with his grace through Christ in all our difficult moments. God’s grace never fails those who trust in him as Abraham did; rather, it leads them safely through every rough path.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 1st Sunday of Lent, Year A: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: Learning from Jesus’ Temptations

Readings: Gen 2:7–9; 3:1–7; Ps 50; Rom 5:12–19; Mt 4:1–11

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Lent is a season of deep spiritual preparation—a time to confront our temptations and sinful habits through prayer, fasting, penance, and almsgiving. On this first Sunday of Lent, the Church gives us two stories of temptation: the fall of Adam and Eve in the first reading, and the temptation of Jesus in the Gospel. Through them, we learn how the devil works and how we can defeat him.

1. The message of the first reading: the devil steals what is superior and replaces it with what is inferior

Our catechism teaches that God created man and woman in His own image and likeness. Adam and Eve shared in God’s innocence. Their nakedness in Eden symbolized this innocence—they were unashamed, like innocent children.

Some ancient narratives often reflected on how the devil envied this innocence. They said that the serpent stole this divine likeness from humanity and replaced it with his own. Before the temptation, Adam and Eve were “naked”—clothed in innocence. After the temptation, they covered themselves with leaves. Clothing, which can be put on and taken off, mirrors the serpent’s shedding of its skin. Humanity exchanged something permanent and divine for something fragile and temporary.

The first reading carries a profound message for us. Our catechism teaches that God created man and woman in His own image and likeness. Adam and Eve shared in God’s nature, especially His innocence. This innocence was evident in the fact that they were naked in the Garden of Eden yet felt no shame; they were as pure as little children. Some ancient stories recount how the devil envied this innocence and that it was precisely this innocence—their resemblance to God—that the devil stole from them, replacing it with his own likeness.

Before the temptation, Adam and Eve were naked, clothed in innocence. After the temptation, they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Clothing is something we put on and take off when it becomes worn or dirty, just as the serpent—used in Scripture as an image of the devil—sheds its skin and replaces it with a new one. Thus, after the fall, humanity no longer bore God’s unchanging innocence but instead took on a nature that could be altered and corrupted. These ancient reflections suggest that the serpent, having stolen humanity’s innocence, gained a kind of longevity, almost like a creature enjoying a shadow of immortality. In this way, the devil stole humanity’s superior gift and replaced it with his own inferior likeness.

The salient message of these ancient narratives of the fall of Adam and Eve is that the devil takes away God’s superior gifts and replaces them with his inferior ones.

 

2. The devil still uses the same strategy today

You may have noticed that temptations often increase right after confession. When we reclaim our innocence, the devil immediately tries to steal it back. He uses lies, half-truths, and attractive packaging to make inferior things look superior.

That is exactly what he did to Eve. He lied that she would become immortal. He lied that God had deceived them. He sowed doubt in her heart. The devil is the father of lies. He always tries to make us doubt God’s word.

In the Gospel, he also approached Jesus with lies and doubts—claiming ownership of all kingdoms and trying to make Jesus question His identity and the Father’s protection.

 

3. Temptation always tries to make us abandon the superior for the inferior

Every day of our lives brings experiences and challenges of this kind. We face the temptation to abandon what is superior simply because it is difficult and to settle instead for what is inferior because it is easy, without considering its lack of durability. We face the temptation to give up a holy life because it demands sacrifice and to embrace a sinful life because it appears sweet and effortless. We face pressures to say yes to immoral demands because they promise quick access to money. Whenever we yield to such evil suggestions, we lose our innocence and take on the resemblance of the devil.

Therefore, let us use the truth of God’s word to examine every suggestion that comes to us, just as Christ did when He was tempted. Let us open our Bible and read it meditatively during this Lent; it will equip us with answers to the lies of the devil.

 

4. The devil attacks us especially when we begin something good

Dear friends, the devil is never happy when we take up a mission that leads to our good or the good of others. He works assiduously to ensure that we do not succeed in our good projects. He is a destroyer and does not want us to accomplish anything that brings life or blessing. Therefore, he often tries to intercept or interrupt the good plans and projects in our lives. When he saw Jesus preparing for His mission of saving humanity, he was not pleased. When he saw Adam and Eve enjoying the sweet company of God, he was not pleased.

We must remember that whenever we have good plans, the devil will rush in with his own plans. His goal is to push us away from our path and make us adopt his path—one that will certainly lead us into trouble. The Greek and Hebrew words for sin, hamartia and chatta’ah, mean “missing the mark.” In every temptation, the devil invites us to abandon our mark—our direction toward fulfilling God’s plans—and to take up his mark instead.

For this reason, the Church urges us to remain vigilant, so that the devil does not destroy our good intentions or the good we hope to bring into the lives of others. Learning from the temptation of Jesus helps us conquer the devil. Jesus remained faithful to His mission and refused the devil’s alternative mission of self‑satisfaction, shortcuts to success, cheap popularity, and compromise of faith, as shown in the three temptations.

We too must be deeply rooted in the knowledge of God’s word. Only then can we remain firm in what God requires of us as we pursue our goals. Without this grounding, the devil will easily confuse us with his sweet‑sounding suggestions.

 

5. The devil tempts us with what we actually need

The devil is clever. He does not tempt us with things we do not desire. He studies our needs and weaknesses and provides a sinful solution.

Let us look at the temptations of Jesus. After spending forty days in the desert fasting and praying, Jesus was hungry. The devil knew this and approached Him with the suggestion of satisfying that hunger through an easy but disobedient means. He told Him to turn stones into bread.

In the same way, the devil knows our needs. If we are hungry, he tempts us with food. If we are thirsty, he tempts us with drink. If we desire power, he tempts us with opportunities to gain it. If we need money, he tempts us to steal. If we need a job, he tempts us to offer bribes. If we are desperate for success in exams, he tempts us to cheat. If we struggle with lust, he surrounds us with countless immoral opportunities.

Every one of us is tempted to seek sinful pleasures, easy wealth, or positions of authority, power, and glory—and to use any means, even unjust or sinful ones, to obtain them. Dear friends, whenever you are in need, be cautious about the suggestions that arise in your mind. Many of them may urge you to use sinful means to get what you want. Such suggestions come from the devil.

 

6. The devil is persistent

Dear friends, the devil is never tired. When Jesus defeated him in the first temptation, the devil immediately moved on to the second, and then to the third. He never gives up. So, whenever you say no to the devil, do not assume he will leave you. He will return through another means, often with an even stronger temptation. When a person falls to one temptation, the devil quickly brings the next, continuing until the person is completely ruined. Therefore, you must remain vigilant in your Christian life.

 

7. The devil now comes in attractive forms

The devil no longer comes to us with dark, frightening faces or with horns of any size, as often depicted in pictures and movies. Today, he approaches us with attractive faces and pleasant smiles. He reaches us through friends and colleagues. He speaks through the wrong suggestions and misguided advice we receive from those around us.

Therefore, during this Lent, let us arm ourselves with fervent prayer, constant reading of the Word of God, fasting, penance, and faithful participation in Mass. These spiritual weapons will help us recognize the devil’s temptations and give us the strength to defeat him.

 

8. Christ has restored what Adam lost

St Paul reminds us in the second reading that Jesus has conquered the devil and restored the innocence humanity lost through Adam and Eve.

Let us not surrender that gift again.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 1^ST SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: 40 DAYS: A TIME FOR SPIRITUAL FORTIFICATION

(Matthew 4:1-11)

With the Ash Wednesday over, we have entered the Holy Season of Lent. This first Sunday, we are shown Jesus moving into the desert, driven by the spirit, and there He fasted, prayed, and was tempted. He did this to receive fortification for what He has to offer to the world and to His heavenly Father, the sacrifice of His life. Thus, He fasted, prayed, and got disposed for the eternal almsgiving. These are the central messages of the Lenten season.

Forty and fortification sound good.  Oh, come along let us make these forty days journey with the Lord in the spirit of mortification and prayer. May we get fortified to combat our faulty habits this holy period.

 

WHAT HAS FORTY DAYS TO DO WITH LENT?

The word "Lent" is derived from the Latin Quadragesima, which means forty days, that starts from the Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday evening. Christians this period commemorate in a very special way the forty days Jesus Christ fasted and was tempted in the desert. Forty is indeed a symbolic number, a number of spiritual importance. It appeared severally in the Jewish and also Greek testaments of the Bible: It  rained 40 days and nights during the flood( Genesis 7:4) Moses' encounter with God on the mountain lasted for 40 days( Exodus 24:18), It took the Israelites 40 years to wander in the desert traveling to the promised land( Numbers 14:33), for 40 days and nights Elijah walked to Horeb( I kings 19:8), Jonah's prophecy to the people of Nineveh warned  that it will take 40 days for Nineveh to be destroyed, and for these days they prayed, fasted and repented (Jonah 3:4-6).

Jesus, today, is in the desert, inviting us to come and get fortified spiritually through prayers these forty days to dismantle everything that is faulty in us.

 

DID JESUS NEED THE FORTIFICATION?

It is for our sake that Jesus entered the wilderness. If He who is God needed spiritual empowerment, what about us? We are weak, we need strength from above, we are surrounded by trials and temptations, and as such, we need to pray and fast to overcome the temptations of this life. Jesus needs us to be fortified for the battles ahead. Let us accept the weapons that Christ offers us in the face of the various crises in our world today.

 

WHAT IS THE FORTIFICATIONS ABOUT?

Jesus shows us what to use this period to fight against. We've got to fight against inordinate desires for food, drink power, pleasure, and false worship.  We should be fortified against ourselves, our world, and the devil. What are the things luring you away from living a fulfilled life in the spirit? Accept the fortification from the spirit of God. Move into the desert with Jesus. It is not by bread alone that man shall live. It is not just by wealth nor by throwing ourselves down from the dignified positions we occupy as children of God. It is by being strong in the spirit that we shall overcome life challenges like Jesus Christ and be able to rebuke every tempter with the following words of Christ: Be gone!

Let us fortify our willpower to always say yes to God and no to the enemies of God. Let us fortify ourselves by the Spirit of God to flee from the forces trying to pull us down spiritually. Let us sharpen our prayer life by praying more devotedly. Let us sharpen our sacramental life by confession and getting reconciled with the Lord. Let us receive the Holy Eucharist regularly in the state of grace. Let us close all doors through which vices come in, through which the devil tries to settle in our homes, through which negative energies try to take the better part of us. Let us be fortified with the weapon of charity and Christ's brand of love. Let us get fortified by sanctifying our activities on the social media, our recreation and relationships with people.

 

Be fortified these forty days.

Never be a tempter

May you not be overcome by any temptation.

May the angels of God come to your aid in times of trials. May this Lenten season be a gracious moment for you.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

We thank You, Lord, for another opportunity to take part in the Lenten observance; of the suffering and death of Christ. Bless our resolve to follow You in this spiritual exercise. May it bear fruits of righteousness, joy, and peace. Touch us that we may repent and remain close to You in holiness through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday (First Sunday of Lent, Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh