Because, I Don't Want to Be Bad - Homily Reflection - 1st Sunday of Lent "C"

 Reading I: Deuteronomy 26:4-10     Responsorial Psalm: 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15     Reading II: Romans 10:8-13     Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

May Jesus Christ be praised –forever and ever. Amen

Welcome to Lent. At St. Lawrence, we had Ash Wednesday service. It was well attended. People came to receive ashes and were told “remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return” or to “repent and believe in the gospel.”

Fridays, we prayed the Way of the Cross. We pray the Way of the Cross for love of Jesus. We take Lent seriously and at the end of Lent, we pray we will be closer to Jesus.

However, the temptations of this world make it hard to grow closer to Jesus. There was a good number of people for Ash Wednesday service, but there could have been more. We had faithful believers praying the way of the cross, but the Church was mostly empty.

Even today, temptations keep the pews from filling. We are all tested and we all fail. My 3-year-old grandson expresses the dilemma of this world best when asked why he misbehaves. He answers truthfully, “Because, I don’t want to be bad!”

God knows us. Jesus knows what it is to be tempted. He came to experience things we experience. Look at our temptations and look at Jesus’. They are close to the same.

We live in a world so full of evil. It is constantly around us. People and countries with power can be spiteful, vindictive, and greedy. Our neighborhoods and communities can be the same. People in their own little circle of influence want power through being spiteful, vindictive, and greedy.

Because of the consequences these things bring upon others – war, crime, fear, and tragedy, people can find themselves tempted to be defeated or tempted to feel unworthy, or tempted to not  even start.

That was something Jesus knew as well. Jesus baptized by John heard God say this is my beloved Son. Then Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days of trials, test, hunger, and to face the temptations of the devil.

That is our life. We are baptized and become clean adopted children of God. Then we face the wilderness of this world full of violence, illness, suffering, and just plain bad.

Evil in the world tells us there is no God. It becomes easy for the hurt to question how God could let horrible things happen. Even in bad times, God is always present. “He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders”

The devil does not want you to realize that truth. He works against all that is good. He even tempted Jesus. If you are hungry, command these stones to become bread. He showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and said all of this is yours - if you worship me.

Then the devil came after Jesus with this temptation, if you are truly the son of God, test him, throw yourself off this temple parapet and see if he saves you. Satan tested Jesus’ faith in God - if there is a God he will save you.

Instead of turning against God, Jesus avows fidelity in God by faith, worship, and scripture. Jesus did not forget who he was and withstood the temptations.

Jesus tells the devil, “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”

This is Jesus’ example of how we must overcome the temptations and worldly evil by faith, worship, and scripture. Be with us, Lord, when we are in trouble.

Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame. There is no distinction between people; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

If we believe in God, we don’t want to be bad. Repent and believe the gospel.

We adore you O Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world. At the end of Lent, we pray we will closer to Jesus.

Be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love one another. Praise be Jesus Christ, fore ever and ever. Amen.