SHARING WITH YOU FR. JERRY ORBOS´ MOMENTS... TEMPTATIONS ARE REAL. SO ARE GOD’S MERCY AND POWER! In today’s Gospel (Mt. 4, 1-11), Jesus was led to the desert by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil who is the master of lies and half-lies. If Jesus were not strong in the Spirit, He would have succumbed to the lures and enticements of the evil one. WHAT MADE JESUS STRONG? PRAYER AND FASTING. May we learn and live these two disciplines as we journey on, especially in this season of Lent. * * * As it were, God allows us to be tempted in our resolve to do good and avoid evil, and in fact we fall again and again. But our human frailty and failures should not lead us to despair and hopelessness. We can overcome temptations if we know how to pray and flee. WE CAN OVERCOME OUR HOPELESSNESS IF WE TRUST IN DIVINE MERCY. * * * Let it go! When temptation starts to grow, just let it go! The best way to stop a fire is to stop it while it is still small and low. * * * In this season of Lent, we are reminded that WE ALL ARE MIGRANTS IN THIS WORLD. We are all just passing through, and from dust we came, to dust we will go. May we be reminded, again, that life is short, death is certain, and that we carry nothing with us when we leave this life, except the love we have shared in our hearts. * * * When tempted, think of death. Think of yourself lying in the coffin. What seems so big, so important, in your life now—would it matter then? * * * PERA, POWER, PRIDE, PLEASURES. These are the 4 Ps that seem so big now, and which we often cannot let go, and which can cause our downfall now and can close the door for eternal life if we don’t learn to let them go. * * * PERA. How many persons, how many friendships, how many families, have been destroyed because of money? The devil is a genius when it comes to using money to cause our downfall. All the news and current events are full of stories about cheating, lying, theft, corruption, killing—all because of money. LET US NOT MAKE MONEY OUR GOD. * * * POWER. This early, our politicians and government leaders are positioning themselves for power. And they will do whatever it takes to get the power or stay in power. LET US NOT MAKE POWER OUR GOD. * * * PRIDE. How many problems and quarrels could have been avoided, or could have been resolved, if we learned to swallow our pride! And how peaceful life would be if we realized that we need not compare ourselves to others. The bottom line is that we are all sinners and unworthy servants needing God’s mercy and in need of true repentance. “Have mercy on me, Oh Lord, a sinner!” LET NOT OUR PRIDE BECOME OUR GOD. * * * PLEASURES. All of us have weaknesses, and the devil knows what these are, and he knows when best to pounce on us. Many times, he need not tempt us for we ourselves seek and pursue our pleasures. May we learn to just pray and flee! LET NOT OUR PLEASURES BECOME OUR GOD. * * * TEMPTATIONS ARE REAL. SO ARE GOD’S MERCY AND POWER! * * * A moment with the Lord: Lord, help me to pray harder, and flee faster, when temptation comes knocking at my door. Amen. OUR GOSPEL READING FOR TODAY, MARCH 9, FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT 2014: Mt 4:1-11 At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him. SUNDAY MASS READINGS FOR TODAY: usccb.org/bible/readings/030914.cfm HAVE A GRACE-FILLED SUNDAY EVERYONE!
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 07:10:28 +0000
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