I Sunday of LENT [C]: Deut 26: 4-10, Rom10:8-13, Lk 4: 1-13
Bible scholars interpret the graphic temptations of Jesus described by Matthew and Luke in theirgospels are pictorial and dramatic representations of the inner struggle against a temptation that Jesus experienced throughout his public life. The devil was trying to prevent Jesus from accomplishing his mission, mainly through a temptation to become the political messiah of Jewish expectations, and to use his divine power to avoid suffering and death.  Jesus' temptation in the desert reveals to us the way in which the Son of God is the Messiah. This is contrary to the way Satan proposed it to Jesus and the way men wish to attribute to Him. This is why Christ vanquished the tempter for us: "For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sinning." [Heb. 4:15]
Every year we begin Lent with one of the accounts of the temptation of the Lord.  The account this year is taken from the Gospel of Luke. We always start Lent with the Lord being tempted because the forty days the Lord spent fasting remind us of the forty days of Lent. Forty is an important number in the Bible.  It usually refers to a period of preparation. For example, Moses was on Mount Sinai for forty days before he received the Law of God.  The Hebrew people roamed in the desert for forty years before they were ready to enter the Promised Land. Elijah walked forty days and nights until he came to mount Horeb .  In the Acts of the Apostles Jesus teaches his disciples for forty days after the resurrection and then ascends to the Father.  He was preparing them for Pentecost. In all these cases and so many more in the Bible, 40 is both a time of preparation and a period of trial.

Joke: A newly-wed sailor is informed by the navy that he's going to be stationed a long way from home on a remote island in the South Pacific for 2 years. A few weeks after he gets there he really starts to miss his new wife, so he writes her a letter.
"My darling," he writes, "it looks like we're going to be apart for a very long time. Already I'm starting to miss you and we're constantly surrounded by young, attractive native girls. The temptation's terrible. I need some kind of hobby to keep my mind off them."
His wife sends him back a harmonica with a note reading, "Why don't you learn to play this?"
Eventually his tour of duty comes to an end and he rushes back to his wife.
"Darling" he says, "I can't wait to get you into bed so that we can make passionate love!"
But she stops him with a wave of her hand. "First, let's see how well you play that harmonica."

When we consider the 40 days of Lent, we focus on preparing for Easter.  That is one reason for Lent, but only one.  We are also preparing ourselves for the full sharing in Jesus’ Resurrected Life that will take place when we pass from this life to the next.  We are preparing for eternal life.  That is why during Lent we need to consider our personal battles against evil.  As human beings, we will always be confronted with the temptation to do wrong.  As long as we have human bodies we are going to be tempted to seek joy in places where the Lord is not found. If you get to the end of the day and can honestly say, “I had no temptations of any kind today,” you should take your pulse.  You are probably dead. Jesus himself was tempted to accept the pleasures of the world rather than remain united to the Father.
 
Practical Implications: 1) We need to confront and conquer temptations as Jesus did, using the means he employed. 
2) We need to grow in holiness during Lent by prayer, reconciliation and sharing. 
3) We need to be on guard against veiled temptations: Let us remember that even Spirit-filled, sanctified and vibrant Christians are still subject to the Original Temptation of Eve: "You will be like gods, knowing what is good and what is evil".