Daily Gospel Reflection for March 5, 2017

Today's Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11 - First Sunday of Lent

“The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.”

Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. Just think about how long a period of time that is. Forty days and nights. Forty! “He was hungry” is probably an understatement.

As we enter into Lent and look down the long road of sacrifice before us, Easter feels a long, long way off. It is easy to fall into temptation while we are denying ourselves something we are used to having. No wonder Satan chooses this time to tempt Jesus. He was hungry!

But at the end of this scene, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:13 and this is what causes Satan to give up (for now) and flee. Reading this and reflecting on it I feel God telling me to trust in Him. He’s got this. This might be a difficult time for me (whether a Lenten sacrifice or any period of struggle or sacrifice in my life) but if I keep my eyes and heart always on God, knowing that Him alone I shall serve, then I can survive anything. I trust in Him.

[Tweet "Help us, Lord, to always trust in you when faced with temptation. By @KerriBaunach"]

Ponder:

When have you been tempted to turn away from God? What helped you to trust in Him again and not fall into temptation?

Pray:

Dearest Father, we know You hold us faithfully in Your hands even during times of great sacrifice, struggle, or darkness. Help us, Lord, to always trust in You when faced with temptation. Amen.

Kerri Baunach is a Catholic wife and mom to three amazing little boys and lives with her family in central Kentucky. She is also a Benedictine Oblate of St. Meinrad’s Archabbey. After 16 years as a music librarian, she left her job to stay home with her boys and start on a part-time homeschooling journey. Kerri is also a writer, editor, and main scheduler for CatholicSistas.com.