February 22, 2026~ 1st Sunday of Lent ~ Year A

Spiritual Reflection

February 22, 2026~ 1st Sunday of Lent ~ Year A (pdf)

The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve. Mt 4:10

“The heads of nations want to make their power felt,” Jesus said (cf. Mk 10:42). The Evil One therefore proposes to Jesus three ways by which he can prove that he deserves to be admired by the crowds and show his power: 1. “Do something useful,” he tells him, like changing these stones into bread; 2. “Do something sensational,” like throwing yourself from the height of the Temple so you will be applauded, recognized, and venerated; 3. “Do something that will give you power,” like adoring the Prince of this world so all the kingdoms will be yours. Conceived by the Evil One in order to seduce Jesus, these three temptations have the goal of enticing him to enter a world dominated by logic, competition, and the search for power, and to convince him that in order to succeed in his mission, he needs to pursue popularity, power, and prestige. Love or power? Love or admiration? Climb the ladder of power or descend into the poverty of a child? This is the choice that Jesus will need to make, and that we all have to make if we want to follow him on his path of descent.

In fact, the three temptations of Christ in the desert are three forms of the same temptation faced by the committed Christian or the person in charge of a community. It is what can be called the primordial temptation, the great temptation that desires to elevate oneself above others, and to seek their admiration through ability and power; the temptation to use the spiritual life, and even the apostolate, for one’s own glory instead of being of service to the poor; the temptation to use strong means, even riches, to launch our works. . .

Don’t we have an example in these secret societies that offer their members greatness, money and power to the point of smothering their conscience and even killing it? Some would be willing to sell their soul to obtain power in this world.

There is no true joy without humility and poverty of heart, which was very well demonstrated by Francis of Assisi as he sang the Song of Creation in his most complete denudation.

To climb the ladder or descend through love, these are the two ways offered to us. Of all the pages written about these two ways, without a doubt none can deepen and illustrate this subject more than the Gospel of Saint Matthew.

We have the story of two Kings. One is named Herod and the other Jesus Christ. I think in all of history there existed no two personalities so opposite. . .

Herod was intoxicated by his search for power. Power was the only worthwhile goal. He wanted to climb to the summit, always higher on the ladder of power. . .

For Herod, the only fear was to climb down the ladder and one could say that, for him, dying was less frightening than losing power.

The two kings, Herod and Jesus, cross paths with each other but are totally opposite. King Herod represents the search for power at whatever price: “Climb, control, serve yourself and be powerful.” Jesus, God of Love incarnate, descends – lowers himself, kneels near the poor, lets himself be dispossessed, and dies abandoned, nailed to a cross – rather than accept a power that could have made him king. He is the King of Love.

Herod is a tyrant; Jesus is a servant. One manipulates the weak and the poor, the other serves, heals, empathizes, and loves with total self-denial. We should not forget that these two kings always battle within ourselves. It is the fight between pride and humility.

André Daigneault, The Way of Imperfection, pp.43-47

 References from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

540 Jesus' temptation reveals the way in which the Son of God is Messiah, contrary to the way Satan proposes to him and the way men wish to attribute to him.244 This is why Christ vanquished the Tempter for us: "For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sinning."245 By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert.

520 In all of his life Jesus presents himself as our model. He is "the perfect man",191 who invites us to become his disciples and follow him. In humbling himself, he has given us an example to imitate, through his prayer he draws us to pray, and by his poverty he calls us to accept freely the privation and persecutions that may come our way.192 

Questions for Reflection

1.          Through this reflection, how is God showing me the spiritual path I most often choose in the situations and events of my daily life?
2.          When I encounter the temptation of power, control, or admiration, how is God coming to me in this Lenten season? How can I respond to His love?
3.          Looking at Mary in her poverty and self-effacement, how can she guide me on the path of true love and true joy? 

Prayer after Sharing

Thank you, God, for allowing me to see the truth about my weaknesses and how it calls upon the abyss of your merciful Love.