Readings for Sunday, February 17 — First Sunday in Lent
Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13
Suggested Reflection Questions:
- After their long enslavement and exile, Moses exhorts the people to remember God’s goodness to them when they called out in distress. They are to show their gratitude for God’s deliverance by offering the first of their harvest to God. Is there a time when you had a clear sense that God answered your call for help? What “first fruits” can you offer to God as a sign of your gratitude this Lent?
- This week the psalmist reminds us that all those who trust in God will be sheltered by God’s loving-care. God will always answer when we call. As a community built on trust in a loving God, we are obliged to call out to God for the sake of all who suffer in our world. Who needs our voice this Lent? Who needs our prayers? Who needs us to cooperate with God’s sheltering mercy and protection on their behalf?
- After his baptism in the Jordan, Jesus is led into the desert for prayer and fasting. The devil tries to tempt Jesus to forsake his fast for comfort and power. Jesus rejects this. Jesus does NOT call out to the Father. What is the significance of Jesus not asking the Father to remove the hardship of his fast? Read further in the passage. Who does the Father send to Jesus? What does this show us about God’s faithfulness?