Word to the Wise
Sunday, February 14, 2016 - 1st Sunday of Lent - C
[Deut 26:4-10; Rom 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13]SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2016 FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT [Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13] What does Scripture say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart -" that is, the word of faith that we preach - for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [Romans] The scene in today's gospel in which Jesus is led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted might be called "the battle of the words." Jesus answers the Tempter scripture for scripture. In his letter to the Church for the opening of Lent 2016, Pope Francis states that one of the primary tasks of Lent is to listen attentively to the word of God. St. Paul tells us that that "word of God" is very near us, in our mouths and in our hearts. Scripture is more than printed syllables on a page. By virtue of our baptism, we are brought into the Word of God, Jesus Christ, who remains close to us. But he can become a word in our mouth and not only in our heart. He can become a word that is "spoken" in our care for others - works of mercy and compassion. He can become spoken in our sharing our faith with others in an appropriate way. He can become spoken in the forgiveness we seek in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and in the way we forgive others. Jesus shows in the desert that even he who is the Word of God was intimately familiar with the word of God. Lent offers us that challenge for our heart and our mouth. AMEN
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