First Sunday of
Lent, Cycle C
Celebrant: As we begin our Lenten
journey, we bring our needs, and the needs of the world, before God's throne.
Deacon/Lector:
That through the ministry of the
Church, people of all nations will believe and profess that Jesus is Lord, we
pray to the Lord...
That governments may foster
justice by acknowledging God as supreme over every human law and activity, we
pray to the Lord...
For the strength to resist the
temptation to discriminate against the poor, the immigrant, the elderly, and the
unborn, we pray to the Lord…
For those who are ill, that God's
love and our care may bring them healing and strength, we pray to the Lord...
That all who have died may be
purified of sin and blessed with the eternal vision of God, we pray to the
Lord...
Celebrant:
Father,
our source of strength in every
temptation,
hear our prayers.
Grant that in all our needs,
we may confess Jesus as the only
Lord,
who lives and reigns forever and
ever. Amen.
Bulletin Insert
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Bulletin Insert in Spanish
Lent and Life
"Each year you give us this
joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery with mind and
heart renewed." (Preface of Lent 1). The purpose of Lent is succinctly
expressed by this preface. Catechumens prepare for baptism into the
paschal mystery. The faithful are reminded of their baptism, and will
renew their baptismal vows at the Easter liturgy. Baptism initiates us into the
eternal life Christ gives us. The baptized are sons and daughters of God
and are members of the Church, the People of Life.
The choices of the baptized are
therefore to be shaped by their new identity (see Rom 6:6; Eph. 4:17-24).
Christ calls the Samaritan woman to repent as she accepts the waters of new life
(see John 4:15-24). Lenten repentance is necessary so that God's people
may more deeply become who they are. They are called to see their sins
more clearly. Hence baptism is known as "illumination."
Anyone who makes the Lenten
journey is called to be more alert to the attacks on human life and dignity
around them. The people of life are called to reject sin and all the
devil's works and empty promises (Renewal of Baptismal Promises, Easter
Liturgy). The "pro-choice" and "right to die" mentalities are two of those
"empty promises" which are firmly rejected by the baptized. A firm
rejection of these positions is integral to repentance. Lent is the
perfect time for us to call our congregations to a clearer understanding of why
this is true, and to lead them to a deeper affirmation of life, both natural and
eternal, in the celebration of the Paschal Mystery.
Homily Hints
Dt 26:4-10
Rom 10:8-13
Lk 4:1-13
The themes of Lent provide
powerful opportunities to preach on the sanctity of life and the tragedy of
abortion.
The season of Lent prepares the
faithful, through a special emphasis on penitence, to celebrate the Paschal
Mystery and to renew the vows of their baptism. It is also a time of final
preparation of catechumens to receive the new life in water and the Holy Spirit.
This double meaning of Lent incorporates and illumines why the Church is
pro-life and provides a liturgically consistent way of preaching about it
throughout this time of year.
The dynamics of baptism are those
of life, welcome, and mutual responsibility. Baptism immerses us into the death
and resurrection of Christ, by which death in all its forms is destroyed.
Moreover, God's sovereign choice is the first step in the process. He has chosen
us, and He has chosen our brothers and sisters in the family of the Church that
comes about through baptism. Hence we learn that we have responsibility not only
for those we "choose," but for those whom God chooses to entrust to our care.
The penitential preparation for
baptism -- whether for its reception or renewal -- is necessary precisely
because the dynamics of sin lead us to exalt our own "choices" over and above
the moral demands of justice and charity. Sin, furthermore, obscures our
judgment about the dignity and rights of others, and makes us all too ready to
ignore them. Hence, the sacrament by which we become brothers and sisters in One
Body is also the sacrament of "enlightenment."
The temptations of Jesus,
summarized in today’s Gospel passage, also summarize our own. Living on bread
alone would imply that the economic challenges of having a child become more
determinative than the value of that child. Worshiping anyone other than the
Lord our God would imply that our own will is more important in the end than
God’s. Finally, failing to trust in the Lord alone, and his provision for our
future, can lead us to resort to violent acts like abortion to try to control
that future or surmount an obstacle in the way of what we think should happen.
The shape of Lenten penance
derives from fighting these temptations, and fostering a more pure and trusting
dependence on God. That is what also builds a culture of life.
Liturgical Resources
