First Sunday in Lent (2026) - Fr Paul Rowse, OP

Temptation works on us because there is truth in it.  Temptation doesn't work for us because there is not enough truth in it.  There is, in temptation, a lie which has been put alongside the truth, to make it plausible and desirable.  We’ll accept the lie if we only see the truth it’s attached to.  So, if we separate out the truth from the lie in any idea we have, then we shall discover the temptation and more often avoid sin.

To see how this works in practice, we can take these temptations of Jesus in the wilderness.

Firstly, Jesus is told he could turn stones into bread.  The truth is Christ's hunger.  His fasting in the wilderness probably meant he was living off what food grew by itself, that is, without human cultivation or farming.  The truth is that bread will satisfy human hunger.  But the lie is that Christ’s power on earth is for himself.  We know that the Son of God became man for us, and so every work of his is done for our good.  When he says that he is living on every word that comes from the mouth of God, he is saying in another way that he will be obedient to his Father.  Jesus has come to give life, not simply to preserve it.

Secondly, Jesus is told he could throw himself down from the Temple because angels will catch him.  The truth of this is that, as man, Jesus suffers the same injuries as any of us who are subject to the same treatment.  The lie is that the angels exist to prevent harm being done to the Son of God.  But the holy angels have a different role: they are to worship and serve God, as we hear at the end of this Gospel passage.  So, the flesh of Christ will fall, not from the Temple, but under the weight of the cross.

Thirdly, Jesus is told that the kingdoms of the world could be exchanged for worship of the evil one.  The truth is that the evil one is allowed to rule in the world at the moment.  There are governments and religions which are under his sway right now.  The lie is that the devil is the king of kings, that he is the sovereign over all.  Ruling in the world as the devil does is not the same as being the world’s ruler; they are two different things.  And we know Christ to be king of kings because he crowns us with love and compassion.

So, we have a job of work to do.  We need to tease apart the truth from lies whenever we are presented with an idea about future action.  To a greater extent, that's all that temptation is: it’s a bad idea about our future.  It works on us because there is truth in it; temptation doesn't work for us because there's not enough truth in it.

Temptation, we know, can be insidious.  All kinds of lies are told us.  There are general lies that we are told and tell ourselves: no one will know; it's a victimless act; it's a harmless one; it's only a small thing; it'll be alright; I can just go to confession later; I don't have to be a saint.  These are all lies.  And then there are the specific lies that we're told: swear words don't count; I'm travelling so I don't have to try to get to a Sunday Mass; I can treat my parents as badly as they treated me; living together is a trial marriage; it isn't stealing if I decide I need it; it's only a little lie.  It's high time we allowed ourselves to hear all the truth.  It's not sufficient to know that truth exists; we must know it and cherish it apart from falsehood.

The good news is that there are remedies for when we have succumbed to temptation and helps to fight it in future.

There is nothing quite like a good confession to help with future temptation.  Please make a good confession this Lent.  There is a sheet you can follow in the confessional: all you have to do is remember your sins.  The priest will help you through.  Coming to confession strengthens against future temptation.

After you have made a good confession, also make sure you are doing some good penance.  I am soon to visit the classrooms of the school.  I'm sure that I'll be told 100 times that sweets have been given up for Lent.  But how about penance for adults?  What daily thing can you go without for a few weeks that will be restored to you in the joy of Easter?  Remember, Christ faced his temptations after he had fasted.  And we are all the stronger against temptation if we have good penance in place.

And the last bit of advice on dealing with temptation is not to do this alone.  The evil one came to Christ in the wilderness when he was alone.  So too, Eve was not with Adam when the tempter sidled up to her.  So, make friends with saints.  Think about who is the best Christian you know, and befriend them if you can.

This Lent, we’ll discover the lies.  This Lent, we’ll hold on to all-truth.  This Lent, we’ll be more than we have ever been.  This Lent, we will seek to become all that we can be.  For freedom Christ has set us free.  To him be the glory for ever.  Amen.

Fr Paul Rowse, OP is the Parish Priest of Camberwell East, Victoria.