Scripture Readings:
Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7
Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17. R. see v.3a
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11
First Reading Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7
A reading from the Book of Genesis
The creation of our first parents, and sin.
The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became a living being.
Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow
that were delightful to look at and good for food,
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
“Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?”
The woman answered the serpent:
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman:
“You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil.”
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
“Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?”
The woman answered the serpent:
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman:
“You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil.”
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.
| Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17 (R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. 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. (R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” (R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy spirit take not from me. (R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. (R.) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. |
| Second Reading Rom 5:12-19 A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans Where sin increased, there grace increased all the more. Brothers and sisters: Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned – for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come. But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many. And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal. For if, by the transgression of the one, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so, through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all. 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. |
| Gospel Mt 4:1-11 A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights and was tempted. At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him. |
Discipleship Questions:
1. Please read the Scripture Readings for today and try to discern at least 1 unifying theme.
2. We are in the Season of Lent and this is a time for deep reflection especially on ourselves and what should be changed in us. I saw the problem of “temptation” repeated again and again in most of our readings for today. Please think about a temptation which you regularly surrender to and consider that during this Lenten time you might be willing to stop surrendering to it.
3. Please read the following and reflect upon it: Adam and Eve chose to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In other words, they chose to be like God. They chose to know what is good and what is evil and the immediate consequence of this choice was immediately telling.
Do you remember what happened? They saw their nakedness and immediately covered up. The nakedness of which they were now conscious symbolizes the breakdown of intimacy between themselves and God. When intimacy breaks down we suddenly see our differences – those things that differentiate us from one another. But when in love we look through eyes that see only what is enchanting.
Can you see what was fundamentally lost?
It was trust between God and the jewel of His creation – the human being. God could no longer trust us!
Trust is such a fundamentally valuable quality isn’t it?
4. Do you trust anyone . . . ultimately? Can you imagine the one you love forsaking all seductions to prove trustworthy to you or can you imagine your beloved being seduced by someone or something else? If you have then you have experienced the sadness of God!
To know that the one you love values you above anybody and anything else . . . is such a magnificent and yet rare realization!
This is what God desires ultimately from us and, interestingly enough, it’s what we desire ultimately from one another isn’t it?
But it’s such a very very rare virtue.
Let me suggest something about this Lent and it’s this – God would like you to be more trustworthy at the end of this Lent than you are right now.
What I mean by this is that your “Yes” is yes and your “No” is no and not maybe or perhaps!
