First Sunday of Lent

In the desert, in return for his allegiance, the Devil tempts Jesus with power, riches and influence. Jesus rejects Satan. This does not mean that Jesus wishes us to walk away from all forms of authority; rather, Jesus wishes us to make our world a better place, as far as we are able, and in spite of the devil.

A big problem many countries face is desertification. Not just in the Sahara, but in many other areas, arable land is being lost to the desert. Global warming exacerbates the problem. In the past, Scotland had many more forests than it does at present. Efforts are being made in places like Carrifran, near Moffat, to recover our wooded areas. Some people in Scotland remember being asked to “Plant a tree in seventy-three” and “Plant some more in seventy-four.” Some did, some didn’t.

In Ethiopia, efforts are being made to protect the trees that still stand, while encouraging more tree planting. One protective measure taken by the government is to limit the sale of charcoal. Driving along, you will often see people waving arms with nothing apparently for sale. These are the charcoal sellers. They have hidden their wares until a car stops to buy some. In this way they hope to avoid being fined.

For the millennium, the Ethiopian government asked everyone to “plant two trees for 2000.” Some did, some didn’t.

As Jesus was tempted in today’s gospel, so the devil tempts us to take authority and power for ourselves. But Church teaching tells us always to work for the common good, and in this we ourselves will be blessed.

Let us pray

Lord, we pray for our leaders, that they will work tirelessly for the good of all. We pray for ourselves, that we in our turn may always seek the common good. May those without land or influence be granted the basic necessities of human life: food, shelter and clothing. Make this Lent fruitful as we join the Lord on the barren earth.

Amen.