March 1, 2020
First Sunday for Lent (Year A)
Readings for Today
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Then the Spirit lead Jesus enter desert make the devil tempt Am. E fast for forty days and forty nights, and after that, hunger catch Am. Matthew 4:1–2
Temptation good? True-true, to face temptation no be sin. If na sin, our Lord for no fit face temptation Himself. But E face am. And we too dey face am. As we enter the first full week of Lent, we get opportunity to think deep about the story of how Jesus face temptation for desert.
Temptation no dey ever come from God. But God dey allow us face temptation. No be so that we go fall, but so that we go grow for holiness. Temptation dey make us stand up choose either God or the temptation. Even though mercy and forgiveness dey always available when we fail, plenty blessings dey wait for people wey overcome temptation.
The temptation wey Jesus face no increase His holiness, but e give Am opportunity to show how perfect E be for His human nature. Na that perfection we dey seek, and na His perfection we must try to imitate as we dey face the temptations of life. Make we look at five clear “blessings” wey fit come when we stand firm against the temptations of the evil one. Take your time think deep about them one by one:
- First, when we stand firm against temptation and overcome am, e dey help us see God strength for our lives.
- Second, temptation dey humble us. E dey remove our pride and the wrong thinking wey we dey struggle with, say we fit depend on ourselves and say na our own power carry us reach where we dey.
- Third, to reject the devil completely get great value. No be only to take away the power wey e dey continue to use deceive us; e still dey help us see clearly who e be, so that we fit continue to reject am and all im works.
- Fourth, to overcome temptation dey clearly and firmly make us strong for every good virtue.
- Fifth, the devil for no tempt us if our holiness no dey worry am. So, make we see temptation as sign say the evil one dey lose the hold wey e get over our lives.
To overcome temptation be like when person pass exam with top marks, win competition, finish one difficult project or achieve something wey hard well-well. Make we get great joy as we dey overcome temptation for our lives, because we know say this dey strengthen us reach deep inside who we be. As we dey do this, we must still remain humble, because we know say no be by our own power we achieve am, but na only through God grace for our lives.
The opposite too na true. When we fall for one particular temptation again and again, we dey lose courage, and we fit begin lose the small virtue wey we get. Know say any and every temptation from the evil one na something wey we fit overcome. Nothing too big. Nothing too hard. Humble yourself for Confession, seek help from person wey you trust, kneel down pray, and trust God almighty power. No be only say to overcome temptation dey possible; na glorious experience of grace wey dey change your life.
Today, think deep about how Jesus face the devil for desert after E don fast for 40 days. E face every temptation of the evil one to assure us say, if we join ourselves completely to Am for His human nature, we too go get His strength to overcome anything and everything wey that wicked devil bring come our way.
My dear Lord, after You spend 40 days for fasting and prayer inside the dry, hot desert, You allow the evil one tempt You. The devil attack You with everything wey e get, and You defeat am easily, quickly and completely, as You reject im lies and tricks. Give me the grace wey I need to overcome every temptation wey I face and to depend on You completely, without holding anything back. Jesus, na You I trust.
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