Are You Ready for Spiritual Combat? 1st Sunday of Lent Year C

Visit here to read the readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent. Take time to reflect and ponmder how God is speaking to you as the first week of Lent approaches. 

The gospel of Luke for this Sunday gives an allegorical account of our activities for the next 40 days. By now, we have decided what to sacrifice until Easter. St. Thomas Aquinas stated that Christ went out into the desert “as to a field of battle.” Indeed, every Catholic will embark on a great battle against Satan. He wants us to fail. Yet, when we look to God, we can never fail. Jesus looked up not down when Satan attempted to tempted him three times. 

Pope Benedict XVI compared the season of Lent to spiritual combat: “We must experience alongside Jesus, not with pride and presumption, but using the arms of faith: prayer, listening to the word of God, and penance. In this way, we will be able to celebrate Easter in truth, ready to renew the promises of our Baptism."

Mark Wahlberg challenged those participating in Hallow's Pray40 challenge to give God “our lives.” Giving our lives brings us closer to God. It can be accomplished when we practice self-denial and let God identify us.

Jesus gave his life for us. He asked that we do the same for him in return. He wants our hearts and lives that will perfect the world into the Kingdom of God on earth. We can do this by receiving the sacraments, praying extra, doing works of mercy, detaching from distractions that are holding us back from true freedom in him, and living out our baptism.

As we embark on our first week of Lent, it would be a good time to find the weaknesses in our lives that the devil wants to exploit and improve on them. One can never get stronger unless an effort is made to be better.