Dear Parishioner,

On this First Sunday of Lent, we step into the desert with Jesus. Just after his baptism, the Holy Spirit leads him into the wilderness, where he fasts and is tempted by the devil. As we begin our own Lenten journey, we are invited to walk in his footsteps, confronting the temptations that pull us away from God.

Through the Gospels we are able to identify with Jesus. Through him, we learn what it means to live a life rooted in God’s will. In the desert, Jesus faces three great temptations—each one echoing struggles we encounter in our own lives.

First, the devil urges him to use divine power to satisfy his hunger. This is the temptation to put our physical needs above all else, forgetting that “man shall not live by bread alone.” Then comes the allure of power. Many are willing to sacrifice a great deal – possessions, integrity, even faith – for influence and control. But Jesus rejects it outright, knowing that to seek power at any cost is to serve evil. Finally, the devil plays a subtler game, tempting Jesus to test God by throwing himself from the temple, expecting angels to save him. This is the temptation to demand that God act according to our will, rather than trusting in his plan. It echoes the choice of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Instead of trusting in God’s wisdom and timing, they took matters into their own hands, grasping at the knowledge of good and evil on their own terms. Jesus, however, refuses to put his Father to the test, showing us the path of true faith – one of surrender and trust in God’s wisdom.

Lent is our own time in the wilderness, a season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, where we seek to deepen our reliance on God. What are the temptations that draw us away from him? How is he calling us to trust more fully in his wisdom?

May this holy season strengthen us, so that, like Jesus, we may stand firm in faith and walk the path that leads to Easter joy.

Yours in Christ,

Deacon Ian