Hearers of the Word

Praying & exploring the readings Lent & Holy Week: Year C

Kieran J O'Mahony

• Publisher: Messenger Publications
• Year: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781788124690
• Topic: Theologie & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

The readings for Lent in year C are mostly from Luke, with the emphasis falling on conversion and reconciliation (even the “stray” reading from John 8: 1-11 is Lukan in tone). This year, the narrative arc from the Old Testament begins with a very ancient Israelite creed, “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, ” a mysteriously inspiring narrative. In a markedly consistent way, the middle readings, all from the undisputed letters of Paul, link with other readings and help to bring them into our present moment. By exploring the context and background to all three readings, the author hopes to make the readings available for personal prayer and as a preparation for taking part in the Sunday liturgy. A very useful resource for all who wish to get more out the Sunday readings. Fr Kieran is very well-known for his regular email resources of resources on the readings. These are hugely popular amongst clergy and others. Now, for the first time, these readings are brought together in a series of books. This is the second volume covering Lent and Holy Week.

Chapter 1

Lent 1, Year C

Thought for the day

The days of spring lengthen and Lent echoes nature, inviting us as well to a new springtime of faith. As in farming and gardening, there is work to be done if new growth is to flourish or even to happen at all. We have to look back and see what has done well and what has, in effect, died off. We need to make space by clearing the ground and looking at ourselves honestly. It would be good to identify what will feed and sustain us during this journey from the ashes of Ash Wednesday to the new birth of Easter.

Prayer

In this springtime, creator God, we watch new life appear from the dark earth after the night of winter. Help us also to grow. In us, there is darkness and night; yet we know that you can bring us once more to light and to life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gospel

Luke 4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3 The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ 4 Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.”’

5 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ 8 Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”’

9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,”11 and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’

12 Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’ 13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Initial observations

The temptation in the wilderness is found in the three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13). Mark’s version is very brief, whereas Matthew and Luke share a longer account. The order of Matthew’s second and third temptations (bread, Temple, kingdoms) is inverted in Luke (bread, kingdoms, Temple). Luke’s editing shows his literary gifts and his theological concerns. For example, he frames the temptations with ‘Son of God’, so that the identity of Jesus is clearly the issue. Also, he focuses on Jerusalem, with a more natural transition from the wilderness to the Temple.

Kind of writing

In terms of ancient biography, we are still within the introduction to the story, that is, Luke 1–4. As part of the introductory material, the writer shows the ‘hero’ undergoing ‘tests’, which are emblematic of and anticipate temptations during the ministry. Intriguingly, these are registered most clearly in the Gospel of John.

From the Fourth Gospel:

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ (John 4:31–32)

When Jesus realised that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (John 6:15)

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So his brothers said to him, ‘Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.’ (John 7:1–5)

Luke uses the story to continue his presentation of the identity of Jesus, this time as Son of God and as a Moses-type figure, as can be seen from the background in Deuteronomy.

Old Testament background

The three scriptural passages cited refer to trials of Israel during the Exodus.

He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3)

The Lord your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear. (Deuteronomy 6:13)

Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. (Deuteronomy 6:16)

New Testament foreground

Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. (Hebrews 2:18)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

‘Son of God’ links the temptation to the birth story: ‘The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God”’ (Luke 1:35). The title also makes a link with the crucial question at the trial before the Sanhedrin: ‘All of them asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say that I am”’ (Luke 22:70).

Paul

Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7–10)

Brief commentary

(V. 1)

As usual in Luke, it is the Spirit who guides and directs the events of salvation.

(V. 2)

Forty is symbolic, indicating a complete cycle: the Flood (Genesis 7:12); Moses on the mountain (Exodus 24:18); the wilderness generation (Exodus 16:35; Numbers 14:20–23); Nineveh is given forty days’ notice (Jonah 3:4); the risen Lord appears to the disciples for forty days after the resurrection (After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God [Acts 1:3]).

(V. 3)

Cf. The leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one! (Luke 23:35–36).

(V. 4)

The citation from Deuteronomy 8:3.

(V. 5)

This happens at a spiritual level. Jesus has his own authority in this gospel (Luke 4:6, 32, 36; 5:24; 7:8; 9:1; 10:19; 20:2, 8). Likewise, there was already ‘glory’ at his birth: Luke 2:14. Cf. 9:26, 31–32; 21:27; 24:26.

(V. 6)

The devil, as the father of lies, is lying, of course.

(V. 7)

The ultimate reversal of what is right. Cf. But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.’ If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? – for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges (Luke 11:15, 18–19).

(V. 8)

The citation from Deuteronomy 6:13.

(V. 9)

Cf. One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ (Luke 23:39–40)

(V. 10)

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways (Psalm 91:11).

(V. 11)

On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your...