READINGS AT MASS
Gen. 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Psalm 51
Rom. 5:12-19
Mt. 4:1-11
Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...
On this First Sunday of Lent, a season of reflection and
amendment, we have been called to examine the tactics of the devil. The First
Reading is a story of Satan's first encounter with the God's children. The
scene opens with a description of how God fashioned human creatures and blew
the life of the divine spirit into them. Rather than let them live in
happiness, Satan showed up to debate with Eve and that was it. Note here that
the Serpent approached the woman when she was alone apart from the man (Adam).
It teaches us this lesson: in their loneliness and apart from each other,
marriage couples open themselves up to the clever tactics of the devil.
In the Gospel text, we again notice that Satan turns up
to mousetrap our Lord Jesus Christ near the end of his forty days in the
desert. At this point, Jesus was tired and extremely hungry. He was at his
physical and emotional weakest. And at this point of weakness, Satan attacked.
Beloved in Christ, the devil strikes best at our weakest.
It is when you are in the "desert", tired and hungry with nothing to
eat that he comes. When you are dry (financially), he comes with a fat brown
envelope. When you are extremely hungry, he comes with stones looking like
bread. When you are lonely, vulnerable and confused, he comes with a sweet
'apple of death'.
Watch 'what you eat' (what you accept) when you are
extremely 'hungry' (when you are in a dire need). Watch the powers you bow to
and the boots you lick in your quest to reach your ambition.
PRAYER
Lord, keep us focused on your will through intense prayer
and fasting such that when the evil one attacks we will be able to cut through
his lies. Amen!
May God bless you.
-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre
Sunday, March 1, 2020.
Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.
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