(Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Psalm 50; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11)

Over the years there have been many professed atheists who try to convince others that there is no God. Sometimes they do this in debates with Christians in places like universities or colleges and sometimes these have been televised. One of the things which strikes me about these people is that they have mostly read Scriptures thoroughly and can recall the words of Scriptures often far better than some Christians; myself included. This is dedication, the origins of which should be examined.

In the Gospel we hear today we have the devil quoting Scripture to Jesus, in an attempt to make Jesus prove that He is the Son of God. Jesus, the Word made Flesh, knows Scriptures far better than anyone ever born; rebukes the devil, knowing that He will prove He is the Son of God in his own way, in his own time and to those who will follow him.

In St Paul’s letter to the Romans, we hear the argument from Paul that if sin was brought into the world by the actions of one man, then it is only fitting that redemption is also brought into the world by one man. That man is Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man. This reading is perfectly placed in our readings today. In the first reading, we hear about the first sin, which saw mankind exiled from the Garden of Eden and in the Gospel, we hear how Jesus resisted temptation at the start of his ministry.

The same tempter, involved with vastly different results.

Lent is a time when we are called to look at how we are living out our Faith. We are encouraged to pray, fast and give alms in order to offer sacrifice to God. However, I’d like to suggest that this is how we as Christians should already be behaving. If we call ourselves Christians then we should already be leading a life which is rooted in prayer. We should be learning Holy Scriptures better than any atheist, so that when we encounter someone who argues against God, that we have the answer. We should already be fasting when the occasion demands it. Abstinence from meat on a Friday is no great sacrifice really and we should probably be doing this more; it helps us to get closer to Jesus and is good for us [says the overweight deacon]. Alms giving should be second nature to us, but is it? As Christians we are called to love God and our neighbour.

How do we show that in 2026?

It is scandalous that we need Foodbanks and Night shelters in 21st Century Britain, but we do, and from my experience locally they are getting busier.

Next Friday we are asked to take part in the CaFOD Family Fast Day, it is one of the main fundraisers for CaFOD which helps people in need all over the world. Often when we are asked to give to charity we are encouraged to give from our surplus; the money we have left over after paying our bills; but this appeal is different. When we fast, we place ourselves temporarily in a similar position to those who are hungry. We get to temporarily experience what they experience all the time. However, the next day we can go back to eating while they are still hungry. Next Friday, we are encouraged to use the money we would have spent on food and give it to CaFOd, who can then use it in one of their projects to keep people alive. We go hungry for one day and someone else gets to live.

The tempter will try and tell us that we can’t make a difference, that the little bit of money we can contribute won’t matter. But this is when we can defy the tempter. Everything that we can contribute will be put to good use. The tempter is all about destruction. He hates it when we work to build up God’s Kingdom. We build God’s Kingdom by loving God and loving our neighbour. We also defy the tempter by loving God and loving our neighbour.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Further Reading

First Sunday of Lent

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[1]

Please remember in your prayers

  • All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
  • Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
  • Those attending the RCIA programmes and those attending the Rite of Election at the Cathedral this Saturday.
  • Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
  • The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
  • The success of the forthcoming Pastoral Area Lent course on Prayer.
  • The children who will be beginning their Baptism Preparation soon.
  • For those returning from their half-term holiday, that the time away from school or college will have been energising for them and that they can return to their studies/work with renewed enthusiasm.

Deacon Tony

21st February 2026

[1] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments