Gospel
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.
The blessings we have been given are countless. Most of us walk around unaware that the air we breathe, the food we eat, the comforts and ability to work and create a home for ourselves…are all gifts from God.
But the greatest gift we have ever received and will ever receive is the gift of Jesus Christ himself who was born into mankind and created to be with us and by his death and resurrection, rescind the condemnation of Adam and all generations by providing us forgiveness and a way home to the Father in heaven.
Jesus is our gift. Our way. Our shining example and mentor. He throughout his life showed us the love of the Father, how to live and even how to love one another so that we could be one with him and the Father.
He also showed us how to prepare ourselves. How to be ready for that relationship. And Lent plays a huge part for it is where we, like Jesus, are tested and prepared. To ignore Lent is to decide to not choose God.
We too hear the evil in in the world tell us not to fast, but if we fast we learn to not live by the feelings and urgings of the flesh but allow the spirit to control our actions. And we grow in perseverance.
We too hear the call to take the easy way out of struggle and challenges by being open to the offer from the world which asks us to put the evil ones and the world’s priorities ahead of the Lords. And when we say no we grow in strength.
We too hear the call to position and power and gains at the expense of others. We hear the world say to ignore this Lenten fasting and sacrifice. There are good things to eat. And just like Adam and Eve we have to decide if we think we know better than God and his church Jesus founded. If we should try to be god and in charge. And when we refuse. When we use Jesus as our model of how to live we are closer to God than ever.
This Lent is a great season of growing and testing and always tempering who we are and remembering who loves us and is always wanting the best for us. Even when we don’t know what that is, he does. He is always working for our benefit and success in our journey in faith and spirit.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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