One of the beauties of our liturgical readings is that they are selected and arranged in a manner that makes us understand better the seasons of the Church in order to embrace with enlightenment the life of Jesus as the central figure of our worship. The gospel of today and the second reading have such an intricate relationship which leaves the reader quenched and placed rightfully in the essence of lent. When we begin lent each year, we meet the words that reveal that Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. We may have asked the question, ‘why would God allow his own son to be tempted by the devil?’. If so, what answer did we find?
Apostle Paul feeds us a morsel of spiritual understanding of the purpose for which Christ was to be tempted and suffer the excruciating torment of hunger and thirst only to be tempted by the evil one, Satan. In the second reading, he tells us that the suffering that Jesus underwent made him perfect and by that he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (Hebrews 5:9). The suffering mentioned here is not meant to be looked at as only meaning that of his passion and death but all he underwent in this material world so as to open doors of salvation for humanity. Paul tells us that, ‘Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered…’ (Hebrews 5:9). This was filial obedience. Everything that he endured was for the love of humanity and reverent obedience to God the Father.
In the gospel, the response that Jesus gives to Philip and Andrew becomes a medium through which he speaks out his sonship obedience to his Father. He completely ignores the request put to him of Greeks at the feast who wanted to see him. Rather, he speaks about his mission in union with his Father, again in a tone of filial obedience. Knowing that the time had come for the Son of Man to be glorified, a glory that comes through suffering, he embraced it all.
If Christ endured all suffering for our sake, how much are we willing to sacrifice our own comfort for the benefit of others? How much more are we willing to go out of our way for the benefit of our fellowmen. If we shall sing Glory and Alleluia on the Vigil of resurrection, will we be rightly doing it if we do not obediently undergo the suffering of the present time? Dear family, may we teach ourselves to understand that, in all temptations and pains we go through in life, we ought to remain obedient to God as his sons and daughters.
The coming week is the last stride before we commence the Holy week. Surely by now in the wilderness Christ is bearing it all for our sake. The sweltering sun during the day and the freezing night are tormenting the Son of Man. In obedience and reverence to the Father he weathers through. May we be reminded of the introductory words said by the priest at Mass on Palm Sunday. Part of whic reads; “Dear Brethren, since the beginning of Lent until now we have prepared our hearts by penance and charitable works….’’. Gathering with the rest of the congregation on this day, will we be able to relate truthfully to these words as having done our part? Let us pray to Christ that he may give us sufficient grace to partake fully in the solemn worship of the Church.