Sunday Gospel Reflection: Battling The Tempter This Lent

 

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.” Matthew 4:1-3

In His great humility and compassion for us, Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God, allowed Himself to endure something that we sinful human beings encounter every day—temptation. God’s glorious plan from the beginning included the creation of both humans and pure spirits—angels—to form one glorious Kingdom of God. Original Sin, the fall of the angels, and our struggle against temptation were not part of God’s original intention, but they became realities due to the misuse of free will, both by angels and by humans. Free will was necessary for both angels and humans to love God freely, which led to a third of the angels and many humans turning away from Him.

Theologians such as Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Augustine offer profound insights into God’s original plan for His Kingdom. In that plan, angels were believed to have been tasked with assisting humans in their journey toward perfection through enlightenment and contemplation. Some choirs of angels were tasked with the governance of the cosmos, guiding the physical world in harmony with God’s will.

Tragically, the fall of a third of the angels, along with the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, has resulted in a world filled with struggle and sin. The fallen angels—now demons—use their natural gifts to deceive, confuse, and tempt. Those who were once responsible for guiding the cosmos now seek to sow chaos, contributing to the existence of natural disasters, disease, and death. While Catholic angelology is speculative, based on a limited amount of biblical revelation, it is important to recognize the role of angels and demons as we enter this sacred season of Lent.

Today’s Gospel focuses on the activity of the most powerful fallen angel—satan, originally named Lucifer, meaning “Light-Bearer.” Tradition holds that he was among the highest of the angels, possibly a Seraphim. According to Saint Thomas Aquinas, Lucifer’s fall resulted from pride: He desired to be a god unto himself, to create and govern according to his own will, refusing to serve God. This cosmic reality, of which both Jesus and satan were fully aware, sets the stage for and adds profound significance to their encounter in the desert.

In this dramatic confrontation, Jesus, by allowing Himself to be tempted, begins the ultimate defeat of satan, a victory that will culminate in Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. This is the only recorded instance in which Jesus permits satan to tempt Him directly. While satan remained active throughout Jesus’ ministry, seeking to disrupt His mission, this moment in the desert addresses temptation specifically. By rejecting each temptation, Jesus not only demonstrates how to overcome the devil but also empowers humanity with the grace needed to resist temptation through His triumph on the Cross.

As we enter into the first full week of Lent, reflect today on the temptations you face in your own life. Though satan is powerful and highly intelligent, he is no match for the grace of God. By uniting ourselves to Christ, we are strengthened to resist all that satan and his demons throw at us. Victory over temptation is not achieved by our own strength but through Christ’s grace, which He freely offers to all who turn to Him.

My victorious Lord, You faced satan with courage, the once-beautiful angel who fell from grace through pride and envy. Now he seeks to destroy those whom You love. Give me Your strength and courage this Lent as I confront my own temptations, so that united with You, I may share in Your victory. Jesus, I trust in You.

Sunday Gospel Reflection: The Law and The Prophets

 

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.” Matthew 5:17–18

For many, the Old Testament can be confusing, filled with laws, rituals, and prophecies that seem difficult to connect with the New Testament. Yet, Jesus’ words remind us that the Old Testament is not merely a relic of the past but an essential part of God’s divine plan. Furthermore, every law, prophecy, and detail, down to “the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter,” finds its deepest meaning and completion in Christ.

In a simplified way, the “Law and the Prophets” in the Old Testament can be summarized as moral laws, ceremonial laws, and prophetic teaching. The moral laws reflect God’s eternal truths of right and wrong, the ceremonial laws govern Israel’s worship and rituals, and the prophetic teaching calls the people to repentance, pointing to the coming Messiah. Together, these form the foundation of the Old Covenant, which is fulfilled in Christ, Who established the New and Eternal Covenant. Additionally, the Psalms and Wisdom literature enrich the Law and the Prophets, offering inspired prayers, meditations on God’s faithfulness, and practical guidance for virtuous living.

Though it might be an arduous task to read through the entire Old Testament, those who do so with understanding discover the truth that everything finds its fulfillment in Christ. “Fulfillment” does not mean that Jesus altered or discarded the Old Testament; rather, He revealed its true and hidden meaning, bringing it to perfection. What the Old Testament could only foreshadow, Jesus accomplished, achieving the fullness of God’s plan.

By analogy, consider an artist’s sketch that depicts a beautiful mountain range and sunset. The Old Testament is like that sketch—it provides the framework, details, and foreshadowing of something greater. In Christ, the sketch is brought to life, becoming reality through God’s creative act. While the sketch and the actual mountain range are the same scene, the reality is the perfect and complete expression of what the sketch anticipated. God, as the Divine Artist, first “sketched” what would come to be through the Law, Prophets, and Wisdom literature, and then brought it to fulfillment through Jesus’ Incarnation, Life, Death, and Resurrection.

In today’s Gospel, after declaring that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, Jesus provided three examples of how He brings the Old Testament moral law to its fulfillment. The commandment “You shall not kill” is deepened to include the interior sin of anger; “You shall not commit adultery” is expanded to include lust in the heart; and “Do not take a false oath” is elevated to a call for sincerity, honesty, and integrity in all one says and does. The Messiah then pours forth His grace, enabling the faithful to live in accord with this high calling.

Though not included in today’s Gospel, Jesus also brings the ceremonial laws to fulfillment by becoming the Lamb of God, offering Himself as the definitive High Priest on the new altar of the Cross. Furthermore, our Lord fulfills the prophets by establishing the New Covenant in His blood, as seen in Isaiah’s vision of the Suffering Servant Who bears the sins of many (Isaiah 53), Jeremiah’s promise of the new covenant written on hearts (Jeremiah 31:31–34), and Micah’s prophecy of a ruler born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

Reflect today on God’s Eternal Law, established before the foundation of the world and brought to fulfillment in Christ. The human life of the Son of God is the center of time and eternity. Everything converges on Him, and new life flows from Him. Just as our Lord fulfills the Old Testament, He also is the only source of true fulfillment in our lives. Ponder His mission and renew your choice to accept His New Covenant, written on your heart by grace. Doing so is an exercise in Divine Wisdom, giving you a share in the new life of grace, made possible by His blood.

Glorious Lawgiver and Messiah, Your Wisdom is perfect, eternal, and transforming. All things came to be through You and find their fulfillment in You. I thank You for the gift of Your Eternal Law and pray for the grace to live it to perfection, with the aid of Your saving grace. Jesus, I trust in You.

Sunday Gospel Reflections: Flavor, Preservation, and Purity

Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Matthew 5:13

Sodium chloride, also known as salt, is one of the most commonly used substances in the world, used for seasoning, preserving, and purifying. Sodium chloride is a very stable compound and cannot lose its flavor unless there is a chemical reaction or dissolution. Why, then, did Jesus suggest that salt could lose its taste? One likely explanation is that the salt used in ancient Palestine could indeed lose its flavor due to impurities and the conditions in which it was stored.

The Dead Sea, located in modern-day southeast Israel, contains a massive deposit of salt and other minerals. According to biblical history, Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt in this region. Because of the vast salt and mineral deposits, the area surrounding the Dead Sea is desolate.

Salt extracted from the Dead Sea was never pure sodium chloride. Gypsum and other minerals were also present, making the salt impure. If this salt were stored improperly or came into contact with water, the sodium chloride could dissolve and wash away, leaving behind the solid residue of minerals. These residual substances, like gypsum, had the appearance of salt but were tasteless and useless for flavoring, preserving, and purifying purposes. When this happened, the “salt” lost its taste. In light of this explanation, Jesus’ teaching becomes especially clear.

The first notable feature of salt is its ability to add flavor to food. By calling His disciples the “salt of the earth,” Jesus was instructing them to enhance the “flavor” of the world by bringing the truth of the Gospel and the joy of His message to others. A Christian life lived in fidelity to Christ would make the world a better and more virtuous place, just as salt enhances the flavor of food.

Salt is also commonly used for preservation. Before the age of refrigerators and freezers, salt was mixed with food to prevent corruption, by drawing out moisture and hindering bacteria and other microorganisms. Though this practice is still used today, it was especially vital in ancient times. By being the “salt of the earth,” Jesus was calling His disciples to preserve the world from moral decay. Through their witness and proclamation of the Gospel, they were to act as a preservative against sin and spiritual ruin. If they were to “lose their taste,” they would become indistinguishable from the rest of the world and ineffective in their mission. Hence, Jesus was exhorting them—and us—to avoid becoming watered down and bland in our witness to the Gospel.

Lastly, salt held a significant role in Jewish religious practices, symbolizing purity and consecration. In sacrificial rituals, salt was used to consecrate offerings, as commanded in Leviticus: “You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not let the salt of the covenant with your God be lacking from your grain offering. On every offering you shall offer salt” (Leviticus 2:13). By seasoning their offerings with salt, the Israelites preserved the sacrifices from decay, making them pure. This practice reflects the disciples’ role in purifying the world through their example of holiness, their lives of self-sacrifice, and their participation in Christ’s redemptive work. They were to live lives of integrity, leading others to God through the purity of their hearts and their unwavering commitment to His will.

Reflect today on this powerful metaphor of being the salt of the earth. The world desperately needs the enriching “flavor” of God’s grace. Without Him, the world is left to corruption and decay. With God, we, and those we serve, are preserved as pure and holy offerings, adding to His glory and growing in holiness. Be the salt of the earth. Do not become watered down in your faith. Remain steadfast in your fidelity to Christ and His Gospel, and you will transform the world around you. In doing so, you will not only glorify God but will also share in His eternal joy.

Most pure and enriching Lord, You alone enrich and enhance our lives, preserve us from sin, and make us a pure offering to Your Father. Please use me to be an instrument of Your grace to the world, making me the “salt” that remains pure and effective, to bring Your saving truth to the ends of the earth. Jesus, I trust in You.