Febuary 26th

February 26, 2023
First Sunday of Lent
Mr. Julian Ohizu: Campus Minister
Readings: Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7/Rom 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19/Mt 4:1-11 (22)
The readings for this 1st Sunday of Lent Year A get us thinking about God’s creation of
Adam and Eve, sin (original sin), and temptation. The first reading from the book of Genesis
recounts the story of how Adam and Eve turned away from God. The psalm is a repentant
appeal to the goodness of God. Psalm 51 is often used during reconciliation service and
whenever one wants to ask for God’s forgiveness. “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have
sinned.” The second reading reminds us that even though we are sinners, we are saved through
the obedience of Jesus Christ. And the Gospel tells us how Jesus went to the desert to fast and
pray for 40 days and resisted the temptations of Satan.
The first reading for this first Sunday of Lent Year A contains rich theological and
doctrinal concepts that are important to us as Catholics. In fact, they contain the most important
aspect of Christian doctrine. The first reading leads us to evaluate the original state of Adam
and Eve when they were created by God. They were created in a state of original justice and
holiness. Adam and Eve were created in a state of divine grace. This means that they have the
obediential capacity to be attuned to the divine life. They were also created with the freedom to
choose between good and evil, between right and wrong, and between obedience and
disobedience of God.  We are made aware that God created them in His own image and
likeness and made Adam the caretaker of all creation (Gen. 1:28). The first reading also x-rays
the fall of Adam and Eve and introduces the doctrine of Original Sin and how this sin affects all
humanity. In the first reading, Adam is seen as the terminus ad quo of Christian Eschatology
and Anthropology. But not the terminus ad quem.
  The sin of Adam and Eve has consequences for the whole human race. The implications
are argued by St. Paul in the second reading of his letter to the Romans. St. Paul laid a serious
accusation on Adam and Eve.  St. Paul tells us how sin entered the world and how we are all
affected by that one sin. He contrasted Adam with Christ by saying that through Adam, sin
entered the world and through sin death; “it was by one man’s offense that death came to reign
over all.” The implication for this sin is that Adam and Eve violated the one commandment
imposed on them by God. They abused the freedom given to them by God and refused to
acknowledge the One who alone is Creator and Lord. They are guilty of apotheosis or self-
deification: attempting to become their own gods. In fact, St. Augustine tells us that the root of
all sins lies here in what he calls the aversion a Deo a turning from God which is rooted in the
human heart. Adam and Eve missed the mark of God’s love who shared His image and likeness
with them. They deliberately turned away from God. But it doesn’t end there. Sometimes, we
miss the mark and deliberately and intentionally turn away from God by following our own
desires and our own will.
Jesus is the terminus ad quem of Christian Anthropology and Eschatology. How do we
know this? Saint Paul continues to say. “But how much greater the reign in the life of those
who receive the fullness of grace and the gift of saving justice, through the one man, Jesus
Christ. One man’s offense brought condemnation to all humanity, and one man’s good act has
brought justification and life to all humanity. Just as by one man’s disobedience, many were
made sinners, so by one’s act of justice are many made upright…. But however, much sin
increased, grace was always greater, so that as sin’s reign brought death, so grace was to rule
through saving justice that leads to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”.

That one man’s (Adam’s) sin makes all men sinners is the essence of the Christian
doctrine of original sin. This is a rigorous theological discourse. But by the unity of all men in
the sin of Adam, so have we all been implicated in Christ’s justice. Therefore, God’s kingdom
is deeply understood in light of the Christ-event. Christ’s death reverses (recapitulates for
Irenaeus) Adam’s disobedience (Rom. 5:12-21). Today, God wants us to recognize our place in
the history of salvation. Humans are not the end of Creation. The whole of creation finds its
fulfillment and destiny in Christ alone who through his defeat of Satan and obedience to God
brings salvation to us. These readings give us assurance that Christ the Incarnation of God
affects a union of God and humanity that destroys sin and brings back the transformation of
human beings so that they will participate in the divine life.  The Church asks us to look up to
Christ as our model and ask for his assistance in prayer when we are tempted to disobey God
and follow our own will instead of the will of God for us.
Today’s readings ask us to look at the following questions intentionally.
 What are our Lenten plans?
 What will we do with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving?
 How can we resist Temptations going further?
 How do we misuse of the power entrusted to us by God and the Church?