1st Sunday of Lent Year C

Mass Readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year C

• First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:4-10: "Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits of the products of the soil which you, O LORD, have given me. And having set them before the Lord, your God, you shall bow down in his presence."
• Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 91: "Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble."
• Second Reading: Romans 10:8-13: "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart - that is, the word of faith that we preach-, for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved"
• Gospel: Luke 4:1-13: "Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil."

Themes for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year C

The readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent for Year C demonstrate that we must give our whole lives to God. In the first reading Moses explains that we must give our best offering to the Lord. The psalm sings of deliverance from trouble. In the second reading Paul tells us we must follow Jesus not just with our minds, but also with our hearts. In the gospel Jesus is tempted by the devil in the desert but resists, putting his trust in his Father instead.

• Giving our whole selves to the Lord
• Preparing ourselves for mission
• Temptation

See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year C.

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In the Desert – A Lesson Plan on Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving

This In the Desert lesson plan on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving will help youth understand the connection between the temptation of Jesus in the desert and Lenten focus on spirituality, sacrifice, and service. Youth will come to understand why we give things up for Lent. This focuses on the gospel for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year C.

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Fasting and Feasting Prayer

This fasting and feasting prayer can be found in many variations. It suggests something to fast from and then an alternative to feast upon. We don’t give something up to make ourselves suffer. We give things up for Lent to make room for something better.

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Could You Give It Up Game

Could You Give It Up is a Lenten variation of the Ten Fingers game. Youth must try to outwit each other by guessing what they would give up for Lent which the others would not.

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A Prayer to God My Protector

This prayer is based on Psalm 91 which is the responsorial psalm for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year C. It is a prayer to God my protector. God shelters us in his love and keeps us from harm.

Repent and Believe! Reflection

Discuss and reflect about the temptation in the desert and think about what it means to repent. “What do I need to change to become closer to Jesus?”

Make a Gratitude List Every Day and Pray with It

Gratitude can be one of the most fruitful forms of prayer. When we specifically notice things to be grateful for, we become aware of and acknowledge God's constant presence in our lives. Practicing gratitude daily is a practice which can change your whole attitude and it doesn't have to take a lot of time.

Give Up Candy and Soda for a Week

The three traditional Catholic practices during Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Long term fasting during Lent can be difficult for young children. So instead of giving up something for all of Lent they can give up something different each week.

Make an Offering Box

Lent is a beautiful opportunity to offer ourselves to our Lord.  An offering box is a tangible way to make our offerings. It can be used for many different types of offerings.

See More Lenten Ideas

See specific ideas for practicing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during the Lenten season.

The True and False Messiah

From Bishop Robert Barron. The evil one attempts to frustrate the Lord’s mission by tempting him to become a “false” messiah by succumbing to sensual desire, exercising worldly power, and using the power of God for ego driven purposes.

Three Questions from the Desert

Also from Bishop Barron. We must make God the center of our lives and not test him. We are here to do his will, which is clarified through our own Lenten sacrifices.

Forty Days

From Scott Hahn. Lent is to teach us what we hear over and over in today’s readings. “Call upon me, and I will answer,” the Lord promises in today’s Psalm. Paul promises the same thing in today’s Epistle for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year C.

Three Levels of Temptation

Also from Bishop Robert Barron. In the gospel for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year C, Jesus faces three classical substitutes for God—three levels of temptation, three types of diversion from the ultimate good.

How to Face Temptation

Fr. Mike Schmitz uses the classic myths involving the Sirens to explain some ways to avoid temptation. He points out the differences between the ways Ulysses, his crew, and Jason of the Argonauts dealt with the monsters and suggests we use some advice St. Paul gave to the Philippians when dealing with temptations.

Temptation and Trust

Jeff Cavins explains that Jesus came from the waters of baptism to be tested for 40 days. The Isrealites came through the waters of the Red Sea to spend 40 years in the wilderness. They were unable to resist temptation. But Jesus responded to temptation by trusting in his heavenly Father and by trusting in the word of God.

No compromises with evil! We must not fall into that slumber of the conscience that makes us say: “But after all, it's not serious, everyone does it”! Let us look at Jesus, who does not make agreements with evil. He opposes the devil with the Word of God and overcomes temptation.

Pope Francis

The devil said to him, "I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me." Jesus said to him in reply, "It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve."