2nd Week of Lent 2026 - Wednesday (School Mass) - Worldly Greatness or Great Holiness

 

It has been two weeks since Ash Wednesday, two weeks since the beginning of these 40 days of Lent. One of the reasons Lent is 40 days, as many of you do, is because Jesus spent 40 days in the desert. He fasted and prayed in the desert for 40 days, and so we fast and pray for 40 days.

You probably know the story how while in the desert, the devil appeared to Jesus to tempt him—to tempt him to turn away from His Father and from his mission.

And Jesus really was tempted, he experienced temptation Jesus like we do. One of the ways that the devil tempted Jesus was with greatness. The devil took Jesus to a very high place and showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil told Jesus, “all these things I will give you, if you worship me”. In other words, the devil told Jesus, I will make you king of the world, I will give you all the riches, and palaces, and power you could every possibly need and more, if you just turn away from the cross.

In the Gospel today, it seems like that same temptation has made its way into the heart of the mother of the apostles James and John. She wants her sons to be great. She asks Jesus if her sons can sit on thrones to his right and his left. She wants riches and power for her sons; she wants her sons to be great in the eyes of the world.

And Jesus responds, “you don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t understand what is really important. I’ve not come to make people great in the eyes of the world, but in the eyes of God.

If you want to be truly great, seek God’s will, not just your own—and that means becoming as holy as we possibly can, by becoming like Jesus—faithful, self-giving, self-sacrificing because that is what God wants for us.

The season of Lent is a time for growing in greatness—greatness in the eyes of God—by practicing fasting, like Jesus did, prayer, like Jesus did, self-giving like Jesus did. So that when we are tempted by the promises of the world, we may remain faithful as Jesus did—seeking not worldly greatness, but great faithfulness--for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

 

 

As we journey through Lent with Christ, let us place our needs before the Father.

For the Church throughout the world: that she may be faithful in bearing witness to the Cross as the path to true life.

For all who face strong temptations—especially to pride, popularity, and the desire for power or riches: that, like Jesus, they may remain faithful to the Father and choose what is right even when it is hard.

For our parish school community—students, teachers, staff, and families: that our Lenten fasting and prayer may shape our hearts to become more like Jesus: faithful, self-giving, and self-sacrificing.

For those who are poor, hungry, or without security: that the Lord may provide for their needs, and that our Lenten sacrifices may become real acts of generosity and care for them.

For the faithful departed: that, they may come to share forever in the true greatness of Heaven.

For X, for whom this mass is offered, and for the petitions we voice now in the silence of our hearts.

Father, we thank you for your loving care for us. Hear our prayers and help us to remain always faithful to your Holy Will, through Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

2nd Week of Lent 2019 - Wednesday - Satanic Resistance to the Cross

There are several instances in the Gospels of the Apostles confusion over Jesus’ teaching, or their slowness to grasp his identity and his mission. And sometimes their understanding of Jesus is downright flawed. Peter is usually the spokesman for the Apostles’ confusions, errors, and fears.

The first time Jesus predicts his Passion, in the Gospel of Matthew, Peter, makes an assertion that is bold, even for him. He brazenly rebukes Jesus, the unformed student pridefully rebukes the teacher. And Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan.” And to be honest, Peter’s assertion was Satanic. Jesus came to save us from our sins through the Cross, and Peter was tempting the Lord to turn away from the cross—to forsake his mission of human redemption.

Today’s Gospel contains Jesus’ third prediction of his Passion. He announces that he will be soon handing himself over to be mocked, scourged, and crucified. This time, it is not
Peter who criticizes the Lord. This time it is James, John, and their mother who approach Jesus.

Matthew includes a detail that shows they are off to a bad start right from the beginning: “the do him homage, wishing to asking him for something.” Do you worship God only so that he can grant you requests? Do you treat God like Santa Claus? What should have been a moment of conversion and deeper identification with Jesus and his ultimate mission, James, John, and Mom approach Jesus, with…false worship?

And then, their request reveals something similar to that Satanic resistance displayed by Peter. Their request is not, help us Jesus to bear the cross with you, but is as removed from the cross as anything possibly could. They request an earthly throne. In the desert, it is Satan who is the one who offers earthly thrones, promises of earthly glory, in exchange for false worship.

Jesus’ disciples are not to be known for their pursuit of earthly thrones and earthly glory. “Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.” Rather than pursuing wealth, power, fame, and pleasure, Jesus’ disciples are to be known for their pursuit of service, their embrace of suffering for the good of others.

Sometimes like Peter, James and John, we put up an almost Satanic resistance to the cross, embracing pride right when we should be embracing humility, embracing greed and lust for power right when we should be embracing generosity and self-abandon. Right when we should be embracing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we turn to earthly distractions, gluttony, and spending money on ourselves.
May our Lenten observances help to deliver us from all that keeps us from embracing the cross, and from Christian service for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Christians will experience the graces of profound renewal during this season of Lent.  We pray to the Lord.
That God will rescue all those who live at a distance from him because of self-absorption or sin, that this evening’s diocesan wide celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation will bring about a return of many hearts to communion with God.
That all families will recommit themselves to fervent prayer this Lent so as to grow in greater love and holiness.  We pray to the Lord.
That this Lent we will be faithful to fasting and to all the ways that the Lord sanctifies us.  We pray to the Lord.
For generous giving for the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, victims of natural disaster, terrorism, war, and violence, the grieving and those most in need.  We pray to the Lord.
For all those who have died, for all the poor souls in purgatory, for those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.  We pray to the Lord.
Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.