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God's Word Is Alive First Sunday of Lent

Written by: Alice Camille

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

One righteous act


FIRST READING: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Then the eyes of both of them were opened
THE FIRST CONSEQUENCE of knowledge is shame. What an unexpected development! We can imagine these seekers of divine wisdom tasting the fruit and expecting big returns. What would they learn? The secrets of creation? The power that controls the universe? How to fly like birds or blaze like the sun?

What they learn is embarrassment. And as with all lessons, there is something to be gained in that. The acquisition of knowledge should always be accompanied by a certain humility, as science and theology have come to appreciate the hard way. Venturing onto holy ground, which the quest for understanding naturally entails, must be undertaken in a spirit of reverence, and never in a stealthy arrogance, hoping to cheat the deity. What we now call Original Sin could have been the First Great Cooperation, if humankind had chosen to grow with God rather than apart from the source of wisdom.

SECOND READING: Romans 5:12-19
A single righteous act brought acquittal and life
SIN, DEATH, condemnation, and acquittal. These are good themes for the beginning of the season of Lent, as Paul underscores for the community at Rome what the gift of Christ brings to our world. In a few paragraphs, he sums up what salvation history is all about. Sin—the deliberate movement away from God’s will—comes into the world through human choice. Grace—the bridge that allows us access to God’s way again—is offered to our world through Christ Jesus.

We who are wayfarers in this world can choose to heap sin upon sin, widening the separation between creation and Creator, or to choose righteous acts that widen the channel of grace as it seeks to penetrate every human heart.

GOSPEL: Matthew 4:1-11
God alone shall you adore
THE SPECTER of Satan spouting scripture at a fast-weakened Jesus in the desert is an eerie scene. Like the distorted image in a funhouse mirror, it is both familiar and grotesque in its resemblance to the temptation story in Genesis. In both stories, the tempter approaches its victim at a disadvantage: Eve’s ignorance, Jesus’ physical exhaustion. And the tempter uses the bargaining chip of divine power to supplant the limitation that his target currently faces.

Eve and then Adam fall for the lure; so human failure is ever illustrated. But Jesus withstands a trinity of assaults to become instead the supplanter of temptation itself, the personification of grace. Eve and Adam and all of us need never face the tempter alone again. There is no desert so barren that Christ will not stand with us against our demons.

Questions for Reflection
    • Does growth in knowledge confirm or challenge your faith?
    • As Lent begins, where do you stand in relationship to sin and grace?
    • How does the power of your faith in Christ help you to withstand temptation?

Action Response
Make two lists as an examination of conscience for your Lenten practice. First, list the areas of your life where sin still reigns, e.g., certain relationships, episodes of anger, lack of charity, self-involvement. Then, list places where grace is working: persons, activities, choices. Commit yourself to putting grace to work in countering the reign of sin.

These meditations reprinted with permission from God's Word Is Alive: Reflections on the Lectionary Readings for Sundays and Holydays by Alice Camille, For more information on the book or to order, visit the ACTA Publications website or call 800-397-2282.