First Sunday of Lent

Last year:

Today's public readings were:

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7: 
Romans 5:12, 17-19
Matthew 4:1-11

The wonderful thing about this selection of readings is how they flow together. Look at the Genesis reading and note how man makes the decision to sin, being tested by the Serpent, and the consequences of this sin (death). Romans 5 is the perfect bridge here, detailing how death came by Adam, but life by Christ. Then, the Matthew passage deals with Christ being tempted in the wilderness by Satan. Only this time, he passes the test. I never really put the three sets of verses together, but looking at it now, it really is a beautiful thing to use the Romans scripture to bridge between Genesis and Matthew, Death stemming from Adam and Life from Christ....

Something I am coming to a greater understanding about than last year is the tie between these verses and Lent.  As we spend out "40 days in the wilderness of Lent" this year, let's try to resist the temptation to fail at our promises and visit the Holy Sacrament often in order to combat Death and receive Life through Christ our Lord.