FIRST WEEK OF LENT: "DISTRACTIONS"

Each Sunday during this Holy Season of Lent, we will offer a reflection based on the life and writings of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. We hope and pray that you will find these reflections helpful as you walk with Christ Jesus on the long road toward his passion, death, and resurrection.

An Admonition of Saint Francis of Assisi

Let every creature in heaven, on earth,

in the sea and in the depths,

give praise, glory, honor and blessing

to Him Who suffered so much,

who has given and will give in the future every good,

for He is our power and strength,

who alone is good,

who alone is almighty,

who alone is omnipotent, wonderful, glorious

and who alone is holy,

worthy of praise and blessing through endless ages.

Amen.

Saint Francis of Assisi

Later Admonition and Exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance

Distractions

I am lucky that I do not have very far to commute in the morning to work or in the evening from work. But I have seen some strange things in the cars around me. I have seen a man attempting to spread cream cheese on his bagel while driving. I have seen women putting on make-up or lip gloss while driving. I have seen someone reading the morning newspaper while driving. And I confess: I still sometime send text messages while driving.

Distractions! Some morning commuters and their rituals exemplify our human tendency toward distractions. While the primary duty of safe driving is to focus on the road, some drivers risk their lives (and ours) by driving while distracted by other activities or concerns.

The Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent invites us to reflect on Jesus and his ability to focus on his divine mission even while he was being tempted by Satan. The forty days and forty nights Jesus spent in the desert were in preparation for his salvific work: preaching, teaching, healing, dying and rising. His entire being (heart, mind, body, and will) was singularly focused on doing the will of the Father. Yet, like us, Jesus was tempted by distractions from this mission through Satan's seductions.

Truly, Jesus was hungry, having fasted for those forty days and nights. Satan attacks Jesus first in this bodily weakness. "If you are the Son of God, command that these become loaves of bread." Bread would have satisfied Jesus' physical hunger. But his spiritual hunger is even more life-giving. Despite this temptation, Jesus remains focused on God the Father and on his spirtual need and rebuffs Satan with the Scripture: "One does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God." Jesus passes this first temptation.

Satan tries again to distract Jesus and brings him to the top of the temple in Jerusalem. Deviously, Satan also uses Holy Scripture to tempt Christ in jumping and proving his divinity: "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it written: he will command his angels . . . to support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone." But Jesus is not so easily seduced or distracted. He answers: "You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test." Jesus remains focused and passes this second temptation.

Despite these setbacks, Satan is not so easily deterred or shaken from his resolve to distract Jesus from his mission and from remaining faithful to the Father. Satan finally presents to Jesus all the kingdoms, all the glories, all the power, all the riches, and all the pleasures of the world. Insidiously, Satan offers this incredible deal: "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." All your heart's desires for a simple bow? Such a deal!

But not for Jesus. Jesus sees the hearts of all creatures. He sees the trap and the lure of Satan. Jesus rebukes him: "Get away, Satan! The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve!" As Jesus would throughout his life and ministry, he held firm, remained focused, and defeated the darkness.

Some would argue that Jesus could resist Satan's offers and distractions only because he is the Son of God. But Jesus also remained focused and faithful to his mission because his will is so perfectly united with the Father's will. Some would argue that we are not as strong as Jesus. Indeed, we are weak. We are more easily distracted. But this is not the whole story.

We also have the power to resist Satan's allurements and distractions. We also can remain focused on doing the Father's will. We have been baptized into Christ's death and resurrection and have become children of God. Therefore, we have the power to choose the Lord! We also can remain focused like Jesus! We can be faithful like Jesus! We have his grace!

In his early life, Saint Francis of Assisi was distracted by the pleasures of his day and the worldly enticements of a life of leisure. His personal desires, such as being a knight, distracted him from listening to the voice of Jesus and his true mission. It was only after being held for one year as a prisoner of war that worldly pleasures no longer distracted him. Francis began to listen and long for something different. By opening his heart and mind to the call of Christ, Francis heard the voice of the Savior speak to him from the cross: "Go! Rebuild my church!" After his conversion, Francis was so focused on faithfully following Christ in charity, poverty, and simplicity, that he was blessed to receive the stigmata.

In our lives, we face distractions as we drive down life's highways. But by remaining focused, by putting the Lord our God first, by keeping Him first in our life, we can also say with faith and conviction: "Get away, Satan!"

For more information about the Assisi Project and our opportunities for adult faith formation, pilgrimage, and retreat, please contact us at assisiproject@ymail.com. May the Lord give you peace -- now and always!

Saint Francis, pray for us!

Saint Clare, pray for us!

Holy men and women of Assisi, pray for us!