PRIMER DOMINGO DE CUARESMA 2025.

Hoy comenzamos la Cuaresma en la iglesia, un tiempo de 40 días que va desde el Miércoles de Ceniza hasta el Domingo de Pascua. Es tiempo de preparación para celebrar el misterio pascual de la pasión, muerte y resurrección de Jesús. Es un tiempo de conversión marcado por prácticas religiosas como el ayuno, la abstinencia y la caridad. Estas prácticas pueden ayudarnos en el proceso de conversión, es decir, en la transformación de nuestros corazones para parecernos al de Cristo. El miércoles de Ceniza nos marcamos la frente con una cruz para reconocernos pecadores y necesitados del amor y la misericordia de Dios.

Permítanme comenzar compartiendo con ustedes algunas preguntas: ¿Te has sentido alguna vez tentado de hacer algo malo? ¿Te has sentido tentado a comer algo que tu médico te ha dicho que no comas? ¿Te has comprado cosas que no necesitabas? ¿Has criticado alguna vez a tu cónyuge, a tus compañeros de trabajo, a tu sacerdote, a tu obispo, a tus políticos o a tus amigos? ¿Has pasado alguna vez demasiado tiempo en las redes sociales? ¿Alguna vez has mirado, observado o visto cosas o personas que no debías? ¿Con quién hablas cuando te sientes tentado? ¿Se lo cuentas a alguien o lo mantienes en secreto? ¿Has apoyado alguna vez a alguien que se sintió tentado a hacer algo malo? ¿Cuentas con el apoyo de tus familiares y amigos?

La lectura del Evangelio habla de las tentaciones de Jesús y de las que cada uno de nosotros enfrenta en su vida cotidiana, y de cómo podemos superarlas. Jesús, lleno del Espíritu Santo, no cedió ante el poder del tentador y, por el contrario, lo derrotó con la palabra de Dios. Como Jesús, nosotros también somos tentados en momentos de debilidad; muchas veces caemos y no encontramos la manera de levantarnos. Jesús nos dice hoy que es posible vencer al mal con la ayuda de alguien más fuerte: el Espíritu Santo. En nuestra vida diaria podemos apoyarnos en Dios, en nuestros familiares y en nuestros amigos. Si salimos de nosotros mismos y nos dejamos guiar y acompañar por las personas adecuadas, siempre venceremos al mal. La primera lectura del libro del Deuteronomio recuerda el agradecimiento del pueblo de Israel hacia Dios. Pasaron de ser un pequeño pueblo extranjero y oprimido en Egipto a ser una gran nación bendecida por El. El pueblo de Israel supo lo que es ser extranjero, esclavizado, discriminado y oprimido, y cuando Dios cambió su suerte no se olvidó de su Antigua condición, sino que siempre mostró agradecimiento hacia él.

Hoy, con el apóstol san Pablo, reconozcamos que en Cristo todos somos hermanos y hermanas, pues tenemos un mismo Señor, que es Señor de todos. No olvidemos de dónde venimos, no discriminemos ni a los extranjeros ni a quienes nos han ofendido. Aprovechemos este tiempo de Cuaresma para reflexionar sobre nuestra vida, el mundo y nuestras relaciones con Dios y con nuestros hermanos. Aprovechemos este tiempo para rezar más, ser más caritativos, estar más cerca de Dios y de nuestros familiares y, sobre todo, para cambiar todo lo que nos aleje de Dios y de las personas a quienes amamos. Aprovechemos para dejar atrás el mal y hacer el bien, para vivir haciendo lo que es bueno y le agrada a Dios y a nuestros semejantes. Que esta Cuaresma sea un tiempo especial para arrepentirnos de nuestros pecados, reconciliarnos con Dios y con nuestros hermanos, reconocer en Jesús nuestra esperanza y ser signos de esperanza para los más necesitados de este mundo.

P. Luis Segura M.S.C.

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First Sunday of Lent. 2025

Dear brothers and sisters, we have just begun Lent, the 40-day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. It is a time of preparation for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery, the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. It is a time of conversion, penance, charity and prayer. It is a time to go to the desert with Jesus Christ and let him transform our hearts according to his will.

Let me share with you a few questions: Have you ever been tempted to do something wrong? Have you ever been tempted to eat something that your doctor told you not to eat? Have you ever bought things you didn't need? Have you ever criticized your spouse, your coworkers, your priest, your bishop, your politicians, or your friends? Have you ever spent too much time on social media? Have you ever looked, watched, or seen things or people that you are not supposed to? Who do you talk to when you are tempted? Do you tell someone or keep it a secret? Have you ever supported someone who felt tempted to do the wrong thing? Do you count on your close family and friends for support?

The Gospel reading speaks of the temptations of Jesus and the temptations that each of us faces in our daily lives and how we can overcome them. Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, did not yield to the power of the tempter; on the contrary, he overcame him with the power of God. Like Jesus, we are also tempted in times of weakness, we fall many times and often do not find a way to get up again. What Jesus is telling us today is that it is possible to defeat evil, not with our own strength, but with the help of someone who is stronger than we are, who is the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes we think only of big temptations like infidelity, lust, selfishness, violence and others and we forget our daily temptations. Like not being able to forgive, not talking to the people who have offended us, discriminating against people because of their religion, their skin color, their sexual orientation, their way of dressing and many others, there are times when we lose control of our lives, many times we get angry easily. Just one question, how easy is it to get angry when you are driving, do you forget the transgressions of the drivers? Do you bless them or curse them?

In our daily lives, we can rely on God, on our families, on our friends, and we can be sure that if we allow ourselves to be guided and accompanied in times of struggle against temptations, we will always defeat evil and temptations. The first reading of the Book of Deuteronomy recalls the gratitude of the people of Israel to God. They went from being a small town, foreigners, and oppressed to being a great nation blessed by God. The people of Israel knew what it was like to be a foreigner, enslaved, discriminated against and oppressed, and when God changed their lives, they did not forget their old condition and were always grateful to the Lord.

Let us recognize with the Apostle Paul that in Christ we are all brothers and sisters, that we have the same Lord who is Lord of all. Let us not forget where we come from and not discriminate against foreigners or those who have offended us. Let us make this time of Lent an opportunity to reflect on our lives, the world and our relationships with God and our brothers and sisters, a time to pray more, to be charitable, to be closer to God, to our families and, above all, to change everything that separates us from God and the people we love. Let us take advantage of this time to leave evil behind and do good, to live in a way that is good and pleasing to God and to our brothers and sisters.

Rev. Luis Segura M.S.C.

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We continue to pray for Fr. Raj, who is in India to celebrate the Mass of Resurrection for his mother who recently died.

First Sunday of Lent – C – 2025

So my friends, we are blessed to celebrate another joyful season of Lent.  A time to celebrate God’s great love for us.  Lent begins late this year.  Easter is April 20th.  The date of Easter always changes because it is always:  The first Sunday after – the first full moon – after the Spring Equinox.  This year Easter Sunday is also the Last Day of Passover.

My friends, today’s gospel – in its three different accounts from Matthew, Mark and Luke – is always reserved for this First Sunday of Lent.  It’s the story of the Temptation of Jesus in the Desert.  Chances are we’ve heard it many times. 

This is a most sacred story because it had to come from no other source than Jesus’ own lips.  He was alone in the desert and there was no one else with him to give an account of what happened…  At some time, he himself must have shared with his disciples this most intimate experience of his soul – and his dealing with one of the basic human conditions – temptation.  …No one is exempt – not even Jesus…

Our gospel today begins right after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and his decision to begin his public ministry.  He went into the desert to think about what he was about to do and, of course, the consequences he would have to face because of his ministry.  Jesus knew the things that he would say would ultimately cost him his life.  To speak out against injustices is never popular.

I was always struck by the beginning of our gospel, “Jesus was led  by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” That seems so strange.  Why would Jesus be led by the Spirit to be tempted ? 

Now, the gospels were written in Greek and the Greek word for “tempt” is “peirazein” – which actually means, “test.”  In English, the word "tempt" has a negative meaning – “to entice someone into doing wrong.”  In Greek – “tempt” (peirazein) has a more positive meaning – “to test…”

Like in the Old Testament – when Abraham almost sacrificed his only son, Isaac.  That story begins, “It came to pass that God tempted Abraham."   Now, we know that God was not trying to seduce Abraham into sinning…  He was testing Abraham…

So now, if we read how the Spirit led Jesus into the desert not so much to be tempted but to be tested – it has a different meaning.

My friends, if we look at our gospel reading – and our own life experiences with the emphasis on testing more than tempting – and look at it in a positive sense – instead of negative – we have a great and uplifting truth:

• What we call temptation is not meant to make us sin; it is meant to help us conquer sin.

• It is not meant to make us bad – but to make us good.

• It is not meant to weaken us – but to make us stronger.

• Temptation is not a penalty for being human – but simply part of our human condition…

So – what do we do when we’re tested ? And how can we use this Lent to help us deal with temptations or testing in our life ?

One way would be to use this Season of Lent, as suggested by Saint Teresa of Calcutta:

She said, “Let us be careful not to allow ourselves to be aroused only by sentimental feelings of Lent and have only those feelings at the end of Lent.  Instead, let us use this season as a time to increase our relationship with God by increasing our prayer and by serving our brothers and sisters in whatever way we are able…..”

My friends, the temptations or testing of Jesus would be no different than any of ours:  Physical Comfort, Wealth, Power, Popularity or Recognition.  These are the very things that Jesus warned us about for the past three Sundays and begs the question:  “Am I more important than everyone else – or do I recognize that all people are children of our loving God ?”

The final verses of today’s gospel are very important:

• Jesus said to the devil, “It also says, you shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”

• When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

My friends, the devil’s greatest trick is to convince us that he does not exist.  Our gospel today indicates that the devil will return to tempt Jesus again.  Jesus, fully human, was not exempt to temptations – and neither are we. 

So, what do we do ? 

• Prayer – that we may resist temptations as Jesus did.

• Serve our brothers and sisters as Jesus did.