Luke 4:1-13 | Tempted Like Christ? How Your Struggles Reveal Your Divine Purpose

Sermon from the First Sunday of Lent

Well this is our first Sunday of Lent, and what an opener it is for all of us.

Let's focus on the gospel in our reflections today, and the temptations that the Lord went through.

Why, of all the people, would the Lord who has all the divinity in him, be tempted?

Why go through this exercise?

How could the devil even think he could win?

Remember, Jesus is God and man, but regardless, maybe there is something about temptation that helps us to discover who we are.

Let’s examine each temptation.

If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.

In other words, let me give you something that you haven't worked for, and that's always a temptation.

Let me give you the reward that you constantly pray for. “Lord, give me this. Lord, give me that.”

And of course, that's the devil.

The devil, remember, the devil always mocks God. The devil always insults God.

Like God says, love one another. The devil will say it's much easier to hate, and much more powerful to hate, and we know, or at least I know, it's a lot easier to hate someone than to love someone, and it's a lot easier to have that hatred last longer than love.

So it's always, the devil is always insulting God's plan for us, and mocking it.

Of course, what does the Lord say?

“If you want something, work towards it. I gave you a heart, I gave you a brain, I gave you hands, I gave you feet, work towards it.”

But the devil always says which is easier, tell the truth or tell a lie?

Tell a lie.

What's easier, work for something or steal it?

Steal.

Does my prayer resemble more of something where I'm seeking constantly things I don't deserve?

Maybe I need to reflect on that.

It's not intentional, but it's just part of our fallen human nature.

I'm always seeking things, looking for rewards that I haven't really worked for.

What does Jesus say?

“One does not live by bread alone.”

It's not the material things; it’s not the luxury that you're really looking for.

We're constantly meditating on our ministries here at Mary Immaculate, especially the school, which is one of the largest ministries. I ask myself, what's its goal?

What is the goal of teaching and educating young people? That they go to a good high school? That they go to a great college? That then they get a good job? Is that the goal?

Is it the material things that matter?

The materials are very easy to measure. 99% of our kids go off to this, 100% of our kids do that, 100% of our kids make over $80,000. But is that the goal?

No. I realized the goal is that we discover who we are and that we're, we know it well.

What do we want from our children? That they know that they are a child of God.

When you know that, you are capable of doing great things. No one in this world is going to crush you.

We want them to realize that God loves them, and that they're a child of God. When you realize that you, you realize what you are, the reason why you're put on this planet, the reason why you have a life.

It wasn't to go to high school or college or to have a job.

Of course, that's the minimum. Don't get me wrong. Those are important.

But it's not the goal.

The goal is for every child to discover who they are.

“One does not live by bread alone.”

Some of us, we already got the golden pot?.We already got the treasure. We're all set for retirement, and we tell the young people what we know better than anybody else.

That's not what makes you happy.

In the devil’s second temptation, “[H]e took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, I shall give you all this power and glory for it has been handed over to me. All you have to do is worship me.”

You can have all the power you want, just do the wrong things.

We see how people in powerful positions can manipulate other people.

Let me tell you, growing up, my dad would embarrass the cashier at a grocery store if she made, or he made, one penny of a mistake.

“You don't know how to count. Where did you go to school? You're such an idiot. You don't know what you're doing!"

And I would just walk away, because I was embarrassed.

But let me tell you something, he got what he wanted every single time.

It works.

It works.

Be loud, be obnoxious, be arrogant, and you will get what you want.

Get the power you're looking by doing all the wrong things, and you will succeed.

That's the temptation, right?

Hey, we have only one life to live. We “need” that power at any expense.

And then finally, the devil “led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on a parapet of the temple, and said to him, if you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. He will command his angels concerning you, and they will catch you, support you.”

What's our prayer?

What's the prayer sound like?

Lord.

I read this wonderful reflection from someone, that said, “Lord, save me from this. Save me, so I can do it again.”

We have a temptation to ask God to save me from my stupidities. Why? So I can do it again.

“Lord, don't let anybody know.

Don't let anybody know.”

Why?

“So I can keep doing it.”

Throw yourself, right?

In other words, screw up, and God will catch you.

And what does the Lord say?

“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”

Don't test God.

Why?

Why are these temptations?

Because temptations are always a shortcut to a counterfeit.

It's a counterfeit, right? Sometimes we can be perfectly content with the counterfeit. But temptations don't allow us to experience what we are capable of achieving.

That's it.

When you cheat at school, you’re never experiencing that you are more than capable of doing this. I've actually had a student say to me, “Father, if I didn't cheat, I would fail.”

And I said to him, “You don't know what you're capable of doing.”

It requires hard work.

The Lord was in the desert for 40 days.

Why?

He was God. He didn't need to be there, but he wanted to discover what he is capable of achieving, to realize the fullest potential of who he is.

My brothers and sisters, you can notice a pattern in some of the greatest saints. 

St. Ignatius of Loyola, he spent nine months in a hospital after suffering a war injury. He was a career soldier. After spending nine months in the hospital, what happened? He became a soldier for Christ.

When you reflect and you meditate on your life, all of a sudden, things that you never imagined you could do, and the people you could serve, becomes as clear as day.

St. Francis of Assisi.

What did he do? He was imprisoned for one year during battle. He was a knight from a wealthy family. And he was captured and put to prison, sent to prison for one year. That one year he called a grace of God. It turned his life completely around. He rejected all the stupid things he was fighting for, and looked at what he was doing with his life.

This first Sunday of Lent, these temptations remind us: spend time in prayer and discover who you are.

It is never a waste of time. Never. Don't ever feel guilty spending time in prayer. Don't ever feel guilty taking time to reorient your life and see a clearer path to move forward. It is not a waste of time.

And of course the devil says, “No, no, no. There's so much to do. Get going. Come on. Move it.

You only have so many days of your life, right? Why would you waste it? Come on.”

And of course the reality is, take time to pray.

Take time to clear your mind.

Take time to get away from the distractions.

Maybe during this Lent, when you're driving, turn off the radio.

Turn off the music and think and reflect.

It's scary, the results that can come from that.

But in the end, I guarantee you, it will clear your mind and give you a clear path, a clearer path of how to move forward.

Luke 6:39-45 | Beyond the Mask: A Priest's Raw Take on Living with Integrity in All Circumstances

Good morning everyone.

Finally was able to summarize my homily.

It's hard.

These readings are all over the place.

So before I forget it, because I just like literally one minute ago, okay?

So the objective here is am I trying to look good or am I trying to be good?

That is the question.

In order to be good, it means that we have to deepen our roots in love.

Deepen our roots in love.

And if we do that, we'll get the most out of our life.

Okay, that's it.

And now for the homily.

It's amazing how a priest has to put this all together, right?

Not too long ago, I went to a restaurant, Chinese restaurant, and I got a little fortune cookie.

Of course, it said someone has a crush on you, right?

But the first time I read it, I thought it says someone wants to crush you.

Then I had to look at it again.

Oh, and why did I read it like that?

Why did I say someone wants to crush you?

Well, because that's the way I was brought up.

My father used to say, remember Alfonso, you have no friends, only interests.

You have no friends, only interests.

And of course, being a teenager, like, no, I got plenty of friends.

I got plenty of friends.

People love me.

I'm funny.

I go smoking with them.

I'm the class clown.

And of course, as a teenager, you pretty much do the opposite of what your parents tell you, right?

But you know, my dad was right, in a way. 99% of the people that you associate with, you associate with them because they have an interest in you.

But once in a while, you find a great friend.

In the first reading today, so the first question, remember, what I do, am I doing it out of love?

Or am I doing it out of interest?

Am I being good to look good?

Am I doing good to do good?

Or am I good?

That is the goal.

I want to be good.

Why?

Because of the first reading.

As the test of what the powder molds is in the furnace, you know, if you want to see the good quality of a powder, if it gets through the furnace, it's good.

If you buy, excuse me, if you buy something that's ceramic, you know it went through fire, and it's good, it's solid.

Are you going to be good when you get tested?

Are you going to do good when you get tested?

The first reading today is all about integrity.

Be the same person you are regardless of the circumstance.

Why do we love Jesus Christ?

Because he was authentic.

Well, how do you know he was authentic?

Because he was the same person he was regardless of the circumstance.

When everybody was saying, you know, oh hail the King, Hosanna in the highest, with the palm branches that soon enough we'll be getting there, right?

And then the very next day they all hate him.

Jesus like a rock.

When the adulterous woman came up to him and he says, I forgive you.

Oh, look at that.

Look how good I am.

But then when he's on the crucifix, when he's being crucified, Father forgive them, right?

You see authenticity.

Someone who is so solid that regardless of the circumstances they are the same person.

They never change.

Do I eat the same way when I'm alone or when I'm in public?

When you have a meal, do you eat the same way if you're by yourself?

As if with your girlfriend or your boyfriend or in public?

You know, is it like, no napkin.

And when I eat in public I'm like, it's like, go in the refrigerator, open up the milk.

Look, first I look around, are the other priests here?

And it's called integrity.

Do I have integrity?

Am I the same person I am when I'm alone as I am when I'm with others?

That is very hard.

But that is the challenge.

That is what God is asking us.

Take root.

Take root.

Am I doing what I'm doing out of love or am I doing it to look good?

Be careful with your words.

Praise no one before he speaks for it is then that people are tested.

The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had.

So too does one speech to close the bent of one's mind.

When you're into a heated argument, do you lose it?

Do you lose all control?

I do.

I'm a passionate person.

I'm not the type of person that sits back and really, I don't have that DNA.

I have to work on it.

I have to work at it.

Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

Why?

Why?

Because God always gives us the benefit of the doubt.

When you go to confession and you confess your sins, you receive absolution.

Why?

Because the priest gives you the benefit of the doubt.

Because Jesus always gives you the benefit.

What does he say?

What do you say every time you go to confession?

And I firmly resolve with the help of your grace to sin no more.

Okay, see you next week.

Okay, father.

Yeah, see you next week.

Because people don't change overnight.

Nobody changes overnight.

If anybody says to you they're a new person the next morning or the next day, I don't know.

I don't know.

Very rarely does anyone change their habits like that.

It takes time.

But God always gives us the benefit of the doubt.

So as Christians, your love has to take root.

Give people the benefit of the doubt.

I'll never forget when I, one day, I was getting to my car and I saw a man going through the trash can.

You know, I said, okay, that's not good.

So I went over and said, here sir, here's $5.

Go get yourself something.

And the man was like, father, I lost something in the trash.

I was looking.

Give me back those $5.

Okay, it's okay.

You make a mistake.

You know how, don't judge anyone.

No, no, no, judge.

But always judge like this.

How can I help you?

And if you're wrong, okay, don't worry about it.

A funny joke.

Oh, really?

Material for my homily.

Okay.

Many years ago, there was a lady that came to me and she said, father, I can't afford my prescription.

And I said, well, how much is it?

Well, $30.

And I said to her, can I see the, can I see the prescription?

She said, I don't have it.

I said, okay, I'm gonna give you the $30.

I want you to come back with the receipt.

Weeks passed, and then maybe two, three weeks later, I saw her, and I came up from behind.

I saw her sitting down at a table, writing something.

And I looked from behind, and she's writing a receipt.

She's writing by hand a receipt.

And I said to her, what are you doing?

You never came back with the receipt.

Oh, no, no, I'm writing one.

I said, that's not, that's not a real receipt.

And then she said, okay, let me go get it.

And she never came back.

That's unfortunate that she never came back.

Because there's more that can be done to help this person other than giving her $30.

There's more.

Your love has to take root.

This is, now, this is the tough one.

Give people the benefit of the doubt.

Welcome people who misunderstand.

Welcome people you think have the best intentions.

Welcome people who make mistakes.

Welcome people who we think, think the best of people, not the worst.

Allow people to make you look like a fool.

Allow people to make you look like a fool.

Why?

So that you can really help them.

Everything I'm telling you is easy to say.

It's not easy to do.

But if you want to be a Christian, all of you, RCIA, right?

The RCIA.

This is the challenge.

To be like Christ.

To look like a fool.

But then you help people.

Because your love isn't show-and-tell.

Your love is who you are.

Remember what I said last week?

Your love has power.

Your love has power.

And of course the devil, the devil mocks God.

Always mocks God.

Your hatred has power.

Your anger has power.

And then what does the devil say?

Which one is more powerful?

Your love or your hatred?

And that's, that's the battle.

That's the battle.

Remember the old story, the children's story?

Once upon a time there were two wolves.

Two wolves.

And they were constantly fighting.

And one wolf was honesty, integrity, love, loyalty.

And the other one was division, hatred, bitterness, resentment, envy.

And they were constantly fighting.

Which one won?

Which wolf won?

Do you remember?

I have one of my students here.

I see her.

Let me see.

Do you remember?

Were you at school?

Do you remember that story?

Do you remember which one won?

Huh?

The love, the wolf with love?

Which one won?

The one you feed.

The one you feed.

So which one am I going to feed more?

Am I going to hold on to resentment, anger, bitterness?

Or am I going to hold on to love?

Open yourself to misunderstanding.

Don't worry about it.

Because the goal is to help.

The goal is to be good.

Not to be right.

To be good.

And that's what it's all about.

Because otherwise, in the second reading from St.

Paul, he says, what are you living your life for?

To look good?

I mean, you're really gonna, you really want to end your life by just looking good?

Or doing something good?

I mean, look at what he says.

He says, when this which is corruptible closed itself with incorruptibility, and this which is mortal closed itself with immortality.

In other words, are you all about appearances?

Or are you all about the Spirit?

Are you gonna live your life so that you can enjoy it and relax?

Or are you gonna live your life where you challenge yourself?

Are you gonna live your life for just surviving?

Or are you gonna live your life to thrive forever?

And then he says, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord.

Knowing that the Lord, that knowing that in the Lord your labor is never in vain.

Never in vain.

Never.

And now that we begin Lent, and we begin our Ash Wednesday, oh my goodness, what better way?

What's my goal?

I want to be good.

And I have to take deep roots in order to achieve that.

Which means, I have to be open to helping people out of love.

My love has power.

More power than my resentment or anger.

Can a blind person guide a blind person?

What does this mean?

Look for the real needs that people have in their life.

Look for what the people really need.

Look for how can I really, when you judge someone, how can I help you?

That should always be the conclusion.

What can I do for you?

No disciples appeared to the teacher.

Great teachers were great students.

Learn from great people.

Learn from the Saints.

Learn from great people.

Learn from your grandparents, from your parents.

Learn from people who have experience.

Your love has power.

Now let's grow some deep roots.

Amen.

Thank you.