THE TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

THE CREED OF  CHRISTIAN THE CHOSEN PEOPLE 

PRAYER BEFORE HOLY MASS  Act of Love before Mass 

O my God, I love Thee with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength and with no other desire than to be inseparably united to Thee. It is through Thy Divine Son that this union is about to be realized within me. In Holy Communion I long to identify myself with Him, that it will no longer be myself, but Him, who lives in me; and when I have received Jesus within myself, then I shall love and be loved by Thee in that same measure, in which I am united to Him. Hasten then, to give me Thy Divine Son, at the hands of Thy priest, that through Jesus, I may unite myself forever to Thee, O God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

First Reading(s) Deuteronomy 26: 4-10 The creed of the Chosen People

Moses said to the people: ‘The priest shall take the pannier from your hand and lay it before the altar of the Lord your God. Then, in the sight of the Lord your God, you must make this pronouncement:

‘“My father was a wandering Aramaean. He went down into Egypt to find refuge there, few in numbers; but there he became a nation, great, mighty, and strong. The Egyptians ill-treated us, they gave us no peace and inflicted harsh slavery on us. But we called on the Lord, the God of our fathers.

The Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, our toil and our oppression; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with mighty hand and outstretched arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders. He brought us here and gave us this land, a land where milk and honey flow. Here then I bring the first-fruits of the produce of the soil that you, the Lord, have given me.” Lectures

‘You must then lay them before the Lord your God, and bow down in the sight of the Lord your God.’

Responsorial Psalm: Be with me, O Lord, in my distress

Second Reading Romans 10:8-13  The creed of the Christian

Scripture says: The word (that is the faith we proclaim) is very near to you, it is on your lips and in your heart. If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. 

By believing from the heart you are made righteous; by confessing with your lips you are saved. When scripture says: those who believe in him will have no cause for shame, it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: all belong to the same Lord who is rich enough, however many ask his help, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Gospel  Luke 4:1-13  The temptation in the wilderness

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone.’ 

Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him, ‘I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says:

You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.’

Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said to him ‘throw yourself down from here, for scripture says:

He will put his angels in charge of you

to guard you,  and again:

They will hold you up on their hands

in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’ Reflections

But Jesus answered him, ‘It has been said:  You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’

Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.

Your Birthday Saint. Saint Colette Boilet, Religious. May she pray for you as you celebrate your birthday. Saint Colette intercede for all childless couples, and pregnant women for safe delivery.

My creed, be with me Lord. God my Father before your Holy Altar I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ your Son is Lord. My God, I truly believe in my heart, and by the confession of my lips. I  belong to Christ who died to set me free, to save me from eternal condemnation. I believe that in Christ Jesus I am saved.  Father you see my misery, my toil, my oppression and my temptation. Father your mighty and outstretched arm saved me from great terror. Father your saving grace upon my life is beyond my imagination for I am a wonder to my adversaries.

Be with me Lord Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour in my trial and temptation, for without your help I am helpless. When I am tempted may I remember to call upon your Most Holy Name for help. This will be my Creed for Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father.

Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. Virgin Mary pray for me. Saint Joseph pray for me. My Angel Guardian pray for me. guide and guide me. Be my protection. God's Holy Angels pray for me.

Pray the Holy Rosary. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother Jesus Christ, our Mother bring us to her Son.