When Ash Wednesday arrives, we take upon ourselves various Lenten penances, sacrifices, fasting and almsgiving – less food, fewer indulgences, greater generosity and more prayer. At first we are often filled with great enthusiasm, but by the time the First Sunday of Lent arrives, weariness has already begun to set in. The body resents the new discipline and our will starts to weaken. “Surely one exception won’t do any harm” we tell ourselves. And thus begins the slow unwinding of our Lenten resolve.

If ever there were a Sunday meant to help us resist such temptations, this is it. Today’s Gospel is Luke’s account of JESUS fasting and praying in the desert for forty days, during which time He was tempted by the devil (4:1-13). We should notice that the first temptation of Satan is very subtle: “Command this stone to become bread”. It sounds so reasonable. After all, Our Lord had been fasting for forty days. But this is the temptation we all face – the relaxing of our penances, not for any sinful reason, but simply out of convenience. And how does Our Lord respond? ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone”.’ In other words, our Lenten penances are not about bread or alcohol or any other material thing we’re trying to give up. It’s about our fidelity to God, and training our will to love and obey Him above all else.

Be forewarned, the devil is very clever. He is an angelic being and he knows our weaknesses, and he’s going to be tempting us with all sorts over the coming weeks. He will be reminding us there is no strict law to fast from this or from that, and he’ll be telling us others are doing far less than we are. And he’ll also be suggesting that one exception won’t spoil everything. With him putting all these thoughts in our minds, if we’re not careful, we will find ourselves letting go of the good resolutions we have begun. So stand firm and rely on God’s grace.

There is something else very important to remember. Penance without purpose is nothing more than a diet! If we fast only because we want to lose weight or for some other self-improvement, we gain nothing spiritually. Every penance must be offered to God for some good intention. So you could say a simple prayer like this: “Heavenly Father, I offer this sacrifice (name the penance) in union with the sufferings of Your Son, JESUS Christ for (state your intention, e.g. my own conversion, the salvation of a family member or friend, for the souls in Purgatory, for the grace to give up a sin I’m struggling with, for peace in the world) Please accept this offering.” Without this, it’s wasted. The devil knows this. He doesn’t care whether you eat chocolate or not, but he does care if you unite not eating it with Christ’s Passion and make a powerful prayer out of it, because then it becomes a weapon of grace. So at the start of this holy season, let us not grow weary. Fight the temptation to give in at the first sign of weakness. And remember that every sacrifice, no matter how small, has value when offered to God in union with the sufferings of Christ. 

Fr Paul Gillham, IC