Opening the Word: First Sunday of Lent (03/09/2025)

Opening the Word is a series of prompts from The Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies to help focus our minds and hearts on the Sunday Mass Readings. After Jesus revealed Himself to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, they said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). Our Lord desires to enflame our hearts also by revealing Himself to us in His Word. Take this opportunity to pause, and allow the Lord to make Himself known to you through the opening of the Scriptures which will ready your eyes to see Him in the breaking of the bread.

First Sunday of Lent: March 9, 2025

First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:4-10 

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 

Second Reading: Romans 10:8-13

Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

Step 1: Begin in prayer, asking the Lord to open your heart to receive how He wants to make Himself known to you. Then, attentively read the Scriptures. 

Step 2: Consider these meditation prompts that follow from the readings:

1. The first reading speaks of the offering of the Israelites on the altar before the presence of the Lord. As we enter into the season of Lent, what offering will you bring to the altar? Notice how the Scripture tells us that it was the “firstfruits” that was brought as an offering. It wasn’t their leftovers, it wasn’t out of their abundance, but it was their first and best crop that was given as an offering. Similarly, how can your Lenten observance be your first and best offering to the Lord? As you participate in the liturgy, imagine these things being placed on the altar with Jesus.  

2. Notice how in the Gospel reading that Jesus was led into the wilderness “by the Spirit.” This should be instructive for us, especially as we enter into the season of Lent. Lent is a time when we deny ourselves and enter into a time of trial and testing, similar to Jesus and his testing in the desert. But notice that Jesus did not go to seek out suffering for its own sake, nor did he try and do it alone, but he only did so empowered and led by the Holy Spirit. We do not make ourselves holy, rather it is the Spirit leads us into holiness. Take this time to ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit to lead you in your Lenten disciplines.  

Step 3: Conclude with a prayer of gratitude and ask the Lord to keep these Words in your heart.