First Sunday of Lent: Conquering Temptation
Sunday, February 22nd, is the first Sunday of Lent. The theme of this day is the Temptation of Christ. Remembering that Jesus is fully human and fully divine, we are concerned about his human temptation. Jesus is like us in all things but sin. Jesus suffered temptations, especially as he discerned how he would be the Messiah.
The Nature of All Temptations
Studying the temptations of Jesus gives us insight into the nature and premise of all temptations. Keep in mind that all—if not most—temptations are united by one aspect. The evil one tempts us to disobey or to be unfaithful to God. Remember, Jesus redeems us because of his human obedience and by his absolute faithfulness to God. He undoes our unfaithfulness.
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus conquers the evil one, thus telling us that all temptations are conquered if you turn to him in your temptation.
The First Temptation: Bread and Self-Glory
Let us explore the temptations of Christ. The first temptation is for bread. While on the surface it seems that Jesus is tempted to satisfy his own hunger, in reality, this is a temptation to use one’s authority, power, or position for one’s own advantage. Remember, temptations always tempt us away from obedience to God for the glory of self.
The Second Temptation: Spectacle Over Substance
In the second temptation, Jesus is tempted to do something spectacular so that the people will believe how great he is and accept him. Now this presents Jesus with a half-truth. Yes, some would think he was great, but in the long run this is not how God sought to address Messiahship. Those who would believe would be very superficial. Messiahship meant addressing the root of evil, which is sin. Addressing sin and the result of sin is never popular. Jesus would not be successful in addressing sin.
Well, how often have I heard people say the homily should make us feel good, tell us a joke, in short, tell us the nice things we want to hear, not challenging things we need to face.
The Third Temptation: Power and Influence
The last temptation is one to power, wealth, influence, and serving the evil spirit of the world. Jesus is tempted to align himself with the poor and the poor in spirit. Thus, he is not going to have influence as the world sees it. How many of us are tempted to climb the ladder of power and influence even in the Church, and in so doing can lose their souls and their humanity? Thus, they may become those who did all the right things for all the wrong reasons.
Seeing Evil Clearly
The first reading from Genesis tells us how difficult it is to sometimes distinguish good from evil. Evil is like a snake that can hide in the most interesting and surprising places in our lives. Just like we are surprised by the snake, we are when we realize the evil that may surround us, even in people we least expect or who should know better. Being faithful to Christ helps us see clearly.
Msgr. Guy A. Massie
February 22, 2026