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 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