FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A, 2026 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Psalm 51:3-6, 12-13, 17; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11

The first reading is the story of the temptation and the fall of Adam and Eve. The gospel reading is about the temptation of Jesus and his triumph over Satan. If Satan tempted Adam and Eve, who lacked nothing, how much more will he tempt you and I who are daily in need? If Satan had the courage to tempt Jesus, who is God, who then, are we, mortal human beings, to escape Satan’s temptations?

Someone says, “To be human is to be tempted.” St. Ignatius calls Satan “the enemy of our human nature.” We all will continue to encounter temptations until our last breath. Satan acknowledged in Job 1:7 that he/she is always “Roaming the earth and patrolling it.” That is why the Scripture instructs us, “Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith…” (1 Peter 5:8-9). In today’s Divine Office reading, St. Augustine writes, “Our pilgrimage on earth cannot be exempt from trial. We progress by means of trial. No one knows himself except through trial, or receives a crown except after victory, or strives except against an enemy or temptations.”

Today, we are presented with the way Adam and Eve handled their temptation and the way Jesus handled his temptations. The two ways can help us understand Satan’s deceits and be prepared.

First, the temptations teach us to listen to God’s voice and obey him and not Satan. The eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil symbolizes disobedience to God’s command by choosing to listen to Satan. Jesus remained obedient to God throughout his temptations.

Second, the temptations teach us to be oneself. Doing things to impress others land people into trouble. Two times Satan asked Jesus, “If you are the Son of God …” Prove it! Demonstrate it! Show your power! “Command that these stones to become loaves of bread.” “Throw yourself down from the parapet of the temple.” Jesus dismissed Satan. Adam and Eve did not dismiss Satan.

Third, the temptations teach us the dangers of inordinate desire of anything. In the case of Adam and Eve, they were no longer content as human beings. Their greed and desire for power and wisdom like gods led to their downfall. Greed goes before fall.

As for Jesus, he was content and in control. He was not swayed by “all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,” Satan showed him. Greed or desire for possession did not gain upper hand of him as was the case with Adam and Eve. In Luke 12:15, Jesus warns us, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possession.”

Fourth, the temptations teach us that Satan watches out for our moments of weakness and where we are vulnerable. The temptation of Adam and Eve were in their moments of weakness. Could it be that Satan came to Eve in her moment of weakness of loneliness? There was no word from Adam in the conversation. Was Adam absent and came back hungry and ate the fruit? Later, when God questioned him, he did not claim ignorance of what he ate. He only blamed Eve, “The woman whom you put here with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it” (Genesis 3:12). In the case of Jesus, the Scripture states clearly that Jesus was “very hungry.” So, turning stones into bread would have been a reasonable thing to do to have some bread to eat.

Fifth, the temptations teach us not to give Satan opportunities. Eve gave Satan an opportunity by allowing a rapport with him. The conversation between Satan and Eve shows the rapport which Satan capitalized on. Jesus did not give the devil an opportunity. Jesus was resistant and dismissive of him with God’s words. “One does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3). “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16). Finally, “Get away, Satan.” … “The Lord, your God, you shall worship and him alone shall you serve” (Deuteronomy 6:13).

St. Paul warns us, “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). “Do not give the devil any opportunity to work” (Ephesians 4:27). We are encouraged to avoid people and occasions of sin. St. James says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). 

Let us follow Jesus as we journey through the Lenten season and through our lives’ journeys. Hebrews 2:18 encourages us, “Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.”1 Corinthians 10:13 assures us, “God is faithful, and he will not let us be tempted beyond our ability, but with the temptation he will provide the way of escape, that we may be able to endure it.” Amen.

ASH WEDNESDAY YEAR A, 2026 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Joel 2:12-18; Psalm 51:3-6, 12-14, 17; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Lenten season, which is 46 days before Easter. However, Lent is 40 days since six Sundays in the Lenten season are not counted as fast days. Each Sunday is a feast day, a mini remembrance of Jesus’ resurrection.

The word “Lent” comes from an Old English word “Lencten,” referring to the lengthening of daylight during the spring season. After days of short daylight and long nights of the winter season, the spring season brings days of long daylight and short night.

The 40 days of Lent represent the 40 years the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land, the 40 days Moses spent on Mount Sinai to receive the Commandments, and the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert before his ministry. On our part, our journey, our Mount Sanai, and our desert are REPENTANCE, PRAYER, FASTING, and ALMSGIVING.

REPENTANCE: The first reading invites us, “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. … Gather the people, notify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants … Let the bridegroom quit his room and the bride her chamber. … Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep, and say, ‘Spare, O Lord, your people … ”’ (Joel 2:12-18).

The Psalm of our Mass, Psalm 51, is the prayer of repentance of King David after coveting Uriah’s wife and killing Uriah. God forgave him, and later, God brought out a blessing from David’s sin. David’s son, Solomon, whose mother was Bathsheba, the wife of the murdered man, succeeded David as the king of Isreal. St. Teresa of Avila says, “God writes straight with crooked lines.” The story of David’s repentance and God’s forgiveness should be an encouraging story for anyone reeling in pains of the guilt of past of sins or past mistakes or past choices.

St. Paul appeals to us in the second reading, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). This reminds us of last Sunday’s gospel reading, “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). During this Lenten season, we are invited to the Sacrament of reconciliation and interpersonal reconciliation.

THE ASH RITUAL: The ash ritual is why the day is called Ash Wednesday. Ash as a sign of contrition, repentance, and mourning goes back to the Old Testament. Job prayed, “I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6). The king of Nineveh left his throne, “laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes” (Jonah 3:5-6). In some ancient African traditions, sitting on ash by widows was a mourning ritual.

The priest or his assistant marks ash on us and says, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel,” reminding us of Jesus’ first words when he began his ministry: “This is a time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15). Or, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19), reminding us of a reality which we often forget.

PRAYER: Lenten season is a time to revive our prayer life, by participating in parish’s Lenten spiritual activities like retreats, recollections, and services; and renewal of personal prayer life.  “… his disciples asked him in private, ‘Why could we not drive [the demon] out?’ He said to them, ‘This kind can only come out through prayer’” (Mark 9:29).

FASTING: We abstain from meat and food that contains meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as act of penance (self-denial) and reverence to Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. Lenten fasting is an act of penance (self-denial) and sacrifice. Fasting is not only from food and depriving ourselves of necessities, but it also includes, as Pope Francis advises, from sins and attitudes. The Pope says,  

• Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

• Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.

• Fast from anger and be filled with patience.

• Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

• Fast from worries and have trust in God.

• Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.

• Fast from pressures and be prayerful.

• Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.

• Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.

• Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

• Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

ALMSGIVING: Lenten observance must include works of charity especially sharing what we have with the needy. “Prayer with fasting is good. Almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold, for almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin” (Tobit 12:8-10).

We read in the Divine Office of Tuesday, Third Week of Lent, “There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other.” In order words, prayer knocks at the door, fasting opens the door, mercy receives!

We pray for a Spirit-filled and a fruitful Lenten season. Amen. 

SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A, 2026 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Sirach 15:15-20; Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37

We read in the first reading, “[God] has set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him.” All our choices and actions have their responsibilities and consequences. Bad choices and actions have bad responsibilities and consequences, while good choices and actions have good responsibilities and consequences. This is in line with the natural law of cause and effect. Moses says, “I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you…” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us that human wisdom is not enough in our choices and decisions. We need God’s wisdom which is given to us by the Holy Spirit. Wisdom is the first of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord). The Holy Spirit who “scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God” calls us to a deeper and intimate relationship with God which human wisdom cannot provide.

We pray for the wisdom of God to guide us, so that our choices and decisions are for our good and for God’s glory. However, we need to acknowledge that there are times we are not free to make choices and decisions by ourselves or for ourselves. Nature sometimes chooses or decides for us. Men and women sometimes choose or decide for us. God sometimes chooses or decides for us. During such moments, we rely on God’s divine providence and on the fortitude of the Holy Spirit to hold out. During such moments, the Prayer of Serenity become very meaningful: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”

Religious leaders would have accused Jesus of undermining the law and the prophets with his teachings and actions, which is why, in today’s gospel, Jesus tells them that he came not to abolish the law or the prophets but to fulfill their true purpose. In his Sermon on the Mount (today’s gospel is its continuation), he shocked the religious leaders by asserting to have a higher authority than Moses (who gave them the law he received from God). They were shocked by the divine mandate with which Jesus contrasts four areas of the law contained the Books of Moses (The Torah):

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, …” “But I say to you, …”

“You have heard that it was said, …” “But I say to you, …”

“It was also said, …” “But I say to you, …”

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, …” “But I say to you, …”

In the four areas of the law, Jesus points out some aspects of human relationship which the people then and we now neglect very often:

1) One may not have committed murder, but how about prolonged anger, hate, humiliation, unforgiveness, and lack of reconciliation?

2) One may not have committed adultery, but how about lust, self-abuse, pornography, and other obscenities?

3) On the area of divorce, it was a patriarchal society at that time. Rights and privileges of women were grossly suppressed. Women were very vulnerable. In our own time, do we make efforts to see that the vulnerable receive justice and protected from the clutches of aggressors? Do we make effort to see that the rights and privileges of the weak and the voiceless are not denied them?

4) At that time, swearing oaths by dishonest people to bypass the process of finding out the truth was rampant. Dishonest people swear manipulative oaths to cover up lies and at times claim ownership of what did not belong to them. Jesus’ directive, “But I say to you, do not swear at all; …” is not interpreted as an elimination formal, legal, or solemn oaths. Rather, Jesus challenges us to live lives of honesty and integrity. Which is why he says, “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.” “Do not swear at all” is not taken literally but understood to maintain absolute honesty and integrity. Jesus warns us against manipulating truth and justice, which comes from the evil one.

May God’s wisdom, given to us by the Holy Spirit, guide us to make right choices and decisions, and live lives of justice, fairness, honesty and integrity. Amen.

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A 2026 BY FR. MARTIN EKE, MSP

Isaiah 58:7-8; Psalm 112:4-9; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus says in today’s gospel, “You are the salt of the earth.” Salt is very essential to human’s health. Lack of it adversely affects the functioning of body cells, nerves, muscles, and bones. Salt is used to season food to enhance flavor and taste. Before the invention of fridges and freezers, salt was an important preserving agent. It is widely believed that salt was the oldest method of food preservation. Salt has played a great role in medicine since the beginning of humankind. Salt is used for cleaning, washing, sanitizing, purifying, and disinfecting.  The importance of salt to humanity must be the reason Jesus calls his followers the salt of the earth because they are to perform the functions of salt to the world.

The Bible gives a good example of the purifying power of salt: “Once the inhabitants of the city complained to Elisha, ‘The site of the city is fine indeed, as my lord can see, but the water is bad and the land unfruitful.’ ‘Bring me a new bowl,’ Elisha said, ‘and put salt in it.’ When they had brought it to him, he went out to the spring and threw salt into it, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, ‘I have purified this water. Never again shall death or miscarriage spring from it.’ And the water has stayed pure even to this day, just as Elisha prophesied” (2 King 2:19-22). This passage helps us to understand why we bless salt and water.

In today’s Gospel Acclamation, Jesus says about himself, “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Then, in the gospel reading, Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” It is very striking that what Jesus says about himself, he also says about us.

We are supposed to be lights that reflect the glory of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). As we see in the second reading, St. Paul reflected the light of Christ to the Corinthians. He reflected the light of Christ not with human wisdom but with a demonstration of Spirit and power of God. St. Paul said to the Corinthians, “For I have resolved to know nothing [that is to pay attention to nothing] while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). St. Paul was so resolute discipleship that he said to the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ [that is, follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ]” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

None of us can claim this level of resoluteness. Human wisdom or human thinking and desires hinder our lights from shining with Spirit and power of God. We may not be like St. Paul but there is much we can do. The first reading gives us a good insight of how we can be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We are to feed the hungry, shelter the oppressed and homeless, cloth the naked, and attend to the afflicted.

Around us are people who need our help, love, care, and support. They are the elderly, the lonely, the sick, the troubled, the grieving, the hungry, the deprived, the incapacitated, the wounded, the oppressed, the heartbroken, the poor, the abandoned and so on. For some of these people, life is tasteless. As salt, we are to bring flavor to their life. Some of them see only darkness and hopelessness around them. As light, we are to light up their darkness and restore their hope. We lose our saltiness and our flame when we have become numb to other people’s afflictions and sufferings. May our salt not lose its flavor, and may our light not go out.

The first reading encourages us that in relating with one another, we are to remove from our midst oppression, false accusation, and malicious speech. We are to support and encourage one another. We are not to discourage and pull down one another. We are not to blow out or put out anyone’s light.

 Let us conclude with a prayer for God’s blessings in the first reading:

“… your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed.

Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

… you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: ‘Here I am!’

… your light shall rise in the darkness, and your gloom shall become like midday.” Amen.

(Isaiah 58:8-10).