February 22, 2026: First Sunday of Lent

Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread along, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “IF you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.

Reflection

The Gospel of this first Sunday of Lent is a familiar one – Jesus’ sojourn into the desert that gives us inspiration as we begin our own Lenten journey. The desert for Jesus was both a place of prayer and a place of temptation.

Scripture tells us that throughout Jesus’ life, he went away to a quiet place to pray. We can imagine that Jesus sought this time of quiet as he was trying to understand what God was asking of him, why he was on earth, and why his task would require his total surrender to the Father, his Abba.

How Jesus spent his time in the desert is up to us to imagine; the Gospel reading tells us only that he fasted. This time with his Father in quiet surely was what gave Jesus the courage to begin his ministry of healing and sharing the love that his Abba so powerfully shared with him.

Jesus’ responses to the temptations that he experienced at the end of his desert retreat show that he was able to reject each of Satan’s tests with firm words in his belief that God would feed, protect and honor him in all the experiences of his earthly life.

Action

As we enter into our 40 days of Lent, perhaps we can find some quiet desert time with God to discern how best we might listen more closely to the Spirit’s leading – a time each day for prayer?

A time of lectio divina each week to go deeper into the Sunday Lenten readings? A meeting with persons who might lead us into a new social justice practice?

Invite Jesus to show you the way and to accompany you on this Lenten journey!