1st Sunday of Lent: Temptations

For this week’s homily please watch the video below.

Our pilgrimage on earth cannot be exempt from trial. We progress by means of trial. No one knows himself except through trial, or receives a crown except after victory, or strives except against an enemy or temptations.

But we are not left on our own. Christ chose to foreshadow us, who are his body, by means of his body, in which he has died, risen and ascended into heaven, so that the members of his body may hope to follow where their head has gone before.

  He made us one with him when he chose to be tempted by Satan. We have heard in the gospel how the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Certainly Christ was tempted by the devil. In Christ you were tempted, for Christ received his flesh from your nature, but by his own power gained salvation for you; he suffered death in your nature, but by his own power gained glory for you; therefore, he suffered temptation in your nature, but by his own power gained victory for you.

  If in Christ we have been tempted, in him we overcome the devil. Do you think only of Christ’s temptations and fail to think of his victory? See yourself as tempted in him, and see yourself as victorious in him. He could have kept the devil from himself; but if he were not tempted he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation.”

Commentary on Psalm 60, St. Augustine

2 thoughts on “1st Sunday of Lent: Temptations

  1. fdan's avatarfdan

     Dear Father Victor, Temptations abound and in my life I’ve learned that sometimes we do more damage to ourselves than to others. Not able to forgive ourselves. Not able to see ourselves as God sees us. Not able to believe that God really loves us. 

    This Lent I will let the Lord take me from brokenness to devoutness. Thank you for your words, Father Victor, that help us get to that point of healing, where we can depend on God’s grace each and every day. God bless you!

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  2. cenaclemary12's avatarcenaclemary12

    Into the desert he was led
    Rough talk, serious threats,
    Trying him day and night.
    Enduring such trauma,
    He escaped the wild beasts.
    Angels ministered to him.

    Into my wasteland I am led,
    Tempting treats, lazy bones,
    Chain me, distort my sight.
    Begging for mercy,
    I hope to escape the taunts,
    Asking for light on what is dim.

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