March 9. Sunday Lent 1C.   Temptation.  The devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world.  Fr Oliver asked the altar servers, “I know you have been studying about temptation.  What was Jesus being tempted to do?  Mpumi knew the three temptations, “turn stones into bread, worship the devil and test God to see if God would protect him.”  “Yes, but what is behind those and how do they apply to us?” Fr continued.  “Could there be temptations to choose power, material, political or religious power, even making them into idols? That is worshipping the devil too?   I think you need to go and discuss this more at home and think about our own reality with all the bribery and corruption we keep hearing about.”     

Reflect, share and act. Scripture: The devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and said, I will give you all this authority and glory to you if you will worship me.” Luke 4:1-13.  Pope Francis: The worship of the ancient golden calf has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money.  Man is reduced to one of his needs alone, consumption. EG 56.   Jubilee will thus be a Holy Year marked by the hope that does not fade, our hope in God. May it help us to recover the confident trust that we require, in the Church and in society, in our interpersonal relationships, in international relations, and in our task of promoting the dignity of all persons and respect for God’s gift of creation. May the witness of believers be for our world a leaven of authentic hope, a harbinger of new heavens and a new earth (cf. 2 Pet 3:13), where men and women will dwell in justice and harmony, in joyful expectation of the fulfilment of the Lord’s promises.  SNC25.  Choose an act of love and sacrifice from the list, also published at www.marfam.org.za/lent   

A JUBILEE PRAYER FOR FAMILIES.   

May the FAITH you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of LOVE enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, awaken in us the HOPE for the coming of your KINGDOM of love, peace and beauty.

As PILGRIMS OF HOPE and SIGNS OF HOPE in our families help us to plant the seeds of the gospel, to care for and nurture them and so transform the Church, the world and all of creation.  Amen