1st Sunday of Lent, Year A – Homily (2026)
1st Sunday of Lent, Year A
Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17 (3a)
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11
February 22, 2026
Since last September we have had seven people participating in OCIA to prepare themselves to complete their Sacraments of Initiation. Today we send some of them to the Rite of Election and Calling to Continuing Conversion with Bishop Matano as we near Easter.
They have been learning what our Catholic faith offers us as people who the LORD God formed out of the clay of the ground. After God formed humanity, He blew into our nostrils the breath of life.
God gives not just physical life. He offers us eternal life.
As God created the first man and woman, He gave them one rule, don’t eat of the tree of forbidden fruit. It was just one rule.
It would seem easy to follow one rule but the serpent, who “was the most cunning of all the animals,” wanted to take them away from God. The serpent, who is the devil, used his cunning to twist God’s Words to make it sound like the rule was not reasonable or good for them. The devil lies.
From the devil’s deception, “the woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.”
That which is sin can seem “pleasing to the eyes” and “desirable.” Yet, as sin, it brings the worst form of death, it brings separation from God.
When they ate the forbidden fruit, their eyes were opened. They came to know sin. We call what happened that day “original sin.” Since then, humanity has always struggled with sin. Baptism takes away original sin but we are left with concupiscence, a strong desire that leads us to sin.
Throughout the ages the devil has always saw to tempt humanity to sin. Jesus is no exception. In his humanity, Jesus had to face temptation.
So, after his Baptism, “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting. Thus, He became hungry. The devil knew this and he knew the power that Jesus had as the Son of God.
So, the devil attempts to tempt Jesus by inviting him to turn some stones into bread. This seems reasonable. Jesus was hungry. Why not use his power to make food? Would you if you had the power?
Jesus won’t do that. He won’t use his power for selfish gain. He knew He didn’t need to because He fed on the Word that came from God.
Citing the Bible, the devil would try to tempt Jesus by inviting him to throw himself off the parapet to see the angels protect him. Do you put the God to the test?
The devil tries to tempt Jesus with great power. Are you tempted by power or greed? Jesus is not.
In his humanity Jesus faced tempted. He is able to resist. He does not sin.
We try to resist sin. At least, we should be trying…We try to focus on worshiping the Lord “and him alone shall you serve.” Yet, we are weak and, at times, fail against temptation.
All is not lost.
I began by mentioning our OCIA participants and I spoke of God as our creator. As our OCIA participants seek to be made anew in the Sacraments of Initiation, we begin Lent.
Lent is a time to seek God’s forgiveness to restore what we have lost in sin.
With this in mind, we turn to Psalm 51 and cry out, “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.” In recognizing our sin, we recognize our need for God’s mercy. We ask him to wipe away our offenses and to wash away our guilt.
God is eager to do so but first, we must acknowledge our sins. We can do so by saying them aloud in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
We can confess our sins at any time but Lent is a special time to examine our consciences and to cry out to God, “A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” In confessing our sins, we ask God to restore us, to give us back the joy of his salvation.
Paul writes, “In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so, through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all.”
Humanity fell in original sin. The righteous act of Jesus’ Crucifixion brings forgiveness and salvation.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a gift, not a torture chamber. Are you ready to confess your sins to Jesus so He can forgive you and restore you to what He has always meant for you to be?