A Reflection on the First Sunday of Lent

By Deacon John Kren

I was painting a room and as I cleaned the brush, there next the sink was a leading housekeeping magazine, and the cover was entitled “Makeover Edition – Just paint It”. Going back to paint the ceiling I wondered if that is what many of us do with Lent – just paint it.

First there is that nasty preparation that you need to do, move the furniture, holes have to be filled with spackle and sanded which dries out your skin and makes tons of dust. The walls are inspected and the cracks filled to make a solid foundation. Then it is coat after coat of primer and paint. I could have just gone through the motions and gotten to watch some TV. Maybe Lent is like painting a room.

In our readings over the last few weeks, Jesus has matured rapidly and in the last few weeks was baptized with the dramatic declaration “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased”. He was led by the Spirit to the desert maybe to contemplate what it meant to be God and Man. His mission of Salvation has begun, and he has invited us along, “Who do you say that I am?” Our readings challenge us and give us the light to examine the walls and ceiling of where we live and dream, what sort of job am I going to do? Just paint it or make some real changes?

Our faith through our Baptism let us know what we must do to put on Christ. There are always distractions and choices to make. The temptations that Jesus experienced are not new. The devil is constantly offering an easier, simple, convincing way. If you are hungry “Son of God”, turn these rocks to bread, be selfish and look out for yourself, your mission is just starting. — Are we tempted to focus too much on our lives, putting all that extra worldly furniture in our room and not living our mission to others? — The evil one says – “ I’ll give you all this” But is it his to give, did he just steal it. Next — to Jerusalem the place of our Salvation, the place of Calvary.