Year A
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1st Sunday in Lent 2026
(Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Psalm 50; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11)
Before I met my wife there were certain foods that I had never tried, some of these are so mundane and everyday now, that I can hardly believe that this was the case, but joining a new family brought new culinary experiences to me. As soon as I tried these foods, I developed an appetite for them. Some of these things are good for me, but others, as my waistline bears witness, cause me harm.
Before Adam and Eve encountered the serpent, they had not tasted the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. However, once they tasted it, they developed a taste or an appetite for the fruit of that tree; which is sin. Ever since that day, mankind has become predisposed to sin, believing the tempter instead of the Creator.
This season of Lent, where we enter into the desert with Christ using the three tools the Church has graced us with of fasting, prayer and almsgiving, allows us to have a fresh start: to renew our commitment to God. As Christians, we know that Easter is coming; as Catholics we know that we will be asked to renew our Baptismal promises at Easter. This season of Lent allows us to prepare for that renewal, not to just turn up and think this is a nice change from saying the Creed. This year, like every other year we have an opportunity to develop new, good habits which can help us break free from the shackles of sin. Jesus gave everything for us, we are asked to give our lives to Him, and each year we need to review where we are on that journey and make conscious decisions on what we are going to do, to give ourselves more fully, to Him.
Through fasting we are not just giving something up; we get closer to Christ by the use of self-control or as the Catechism states ‘help us acquire a mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart’ [CCC2043]. This freedom of heart allows us to love God and our neighbour more fully.
Through prayer we spend more time in dialogue with God; this helps us to develop a more intimate and lasting relationship. As St Pio said "Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God's heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips, but with your heart. In fact, on certain occasions, you should only speak to Him with your heart."
Through almsgiving we give up some of the bounty, which God has given us; to others who are in need. In doing so, we unite ourselves with the poor, the orphan, the homeless, the addict, the prisoner, those displaced by natural disaster or war. As Pope Francis said “almsgiving is not just about the money; it is about being attentive to the actual needs of the person asking for help.”
As part of our Lenten journey, can we make time to understand the needs of those around us?
Can we put ourselves in their shoes?
The three tools we use counter sin:
By fasting we rebel against greed and selfishness; we allow more for others by denying ourselves.
Through prayer we give God the respect He deserves; God created us to be with Him. Our prayer life allows us to spend time with God, it is an appetiser for Heaven when we get to spend all of our time in God’s presence.
Almsgiving allows us to help others, it dents our selfishness, prompting us to think of other people and putting their needs alongside our own needs; loving our neighbour as ourselves.
Let’s make this Lent, the best ever opportunity we’ve taken to date, to deepen our faith and to get to know God in a more intimate and personal way.
Further Reading
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
CCC 394, 538-540, 2119: the temptation of Jesus
CCC 2846-2849: "Lead us not into temptation"
CCC 385-390, 396-400: the Fall
CCC 359, 402-411, 615: Adam, Original Sin, Christ the New Adam
Pope: When giving to the poor, look them in the eyes | Catholic News Agency
We have recently started our Lenten Journey towards the celebration of the Paschal Mystery at the Easter Triduum. Specifically, it is an intensive time for those preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation, but for all faithful, as we recall our own Baptism and invited to do penance. Penance is an act of showing sorrow for our wrongdoings and making necessary amends, by prayer, fasting, and words of charity. Today’s collect reminds us that during this yearly observance of holy Lent we ought to ‘grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ.’ This specifically refers to the catechumens who become the elect after the Rite of Election, which is envisioned to be celebrated on the First Sunday of Lent. The Paschal Mystery is indeed a wealth of riches, and our finite human minds will never be able to fully grasp this Mystery of our Redemption. However, overtime, over our lifetime, our human understanding of Christ, inspired by the work of grace, deepens and grows. The Catechumenal process emphasises this gradual process of spiritual development. For this to happen, we ought to spend more time in the awareness of the presence of God in our prayer time and be more connected with this reality. Likewise, we encounter Christ, through the Scriptures, in the Liturgy (especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation), and with the poor and rejected. Lent invites us to stretch ourselves, to be less inwards and downwards and more outwards and upwards. Our words and actions follow our connection with God and are important to examine during this liturgical season, as the collect continues “by worth conduct purse their effects.” These effects are namely redemption from wrong doing, reconciliation with God and with one another, forgiveness, eternal life, and full human happiness and peace. Action follows being, and our conduct should live out the Paschal Mystery every day – to live as people of joy, peace, reconciliation, freedom, and love.
Prayer of the Faithful
For the Church, with her mission forgiveness –
that she may help everyone along their journey life by encouraging peace and reconciliation among nations and one another.
For the leaders of our world and country –
that during these days of polarization, instability, greed, jealousy, and hatred, peace and harmony may prevail.
For all Christians along this Lenten journey –
that we may learn once more to trust in God’s loving mercy and forgiveness, and turn again in their lives to God, who alone has the power to save.
These hymns have been chosen from different sources:
Forty days (CFE185,L206, LHON264, TCH50)
Guide me, O thou great Redeemer (CFE233, L960, LHON307, TCH221)
Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us (CFE351, L315, LHON416, TCH235)
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord (On Eagle's wings) (CFE832, L952, LHON759)
Key
CFE - Celebration Hymnal for Everyone
L – Laudate
LHON – Liturgical Hymns Old and New (Mayhew, 1999)
TCH – The Catholic Hymnbook (Gracewing)
Do you have questions about the liturgy and how we are called to participate in it? Explore how the Church councils, saints, and popes have answered this key question and many more.
Every movement of the Mass is rich in meaning but we can become over-familiar with it. Rediscover the Mass and explore how it relates to the Exodus story, where many of its rituals come from, and how it makes Jesus present to us today.
