Hello, Reader!
Join us today for Morning Prayer.
Reflection on the Readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent 2026
Join us as we venture into the wilderness with Christ!
Old Testament – Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
God places the first humans in the Garden of Eden to tend it, granting them freedom to eat from every tree except one. A crafty serpent approaches with a subtle question, distorting God’s command and planting doubt in their minds about his goodness.
The serpent suggests that God is withholding something desirable and that eating the forbidden fruit will make them like God. The woman sees that the tree is good for food, pleasing to the eye, and desirable for wisdom. She eats and gives some to her husband, who also eats. Their eyes are opened, but not to divine wisdom — instead, they become aware of their nakedness and vulnerability, and they cover themselves with fig leaves. Paradise is lost through distrust of God’s word and the desire for autonomy.
Psalm 32
This penitential psalm addresses the burden of hidden sin and the joy that comes from confession and forgiveness. When the psalmist remained silent and refused to acknowledge his sin, his health deteriorated, and he felt crushed beneath God’s hand. But when he confessed his transgressions, he experienced immediate forgiveness. God becomes a safe refuge for the repentant, surrounding them with songs of deliverance.
The Lord promises to instruct and guide his followers, not like stubborn animals that must be controlled by force, but those who willingly trust him. Mercy embraces those who place their trust in God.
Epistle – Romans 5:12-19
Paul presents a striking contrast between Adam and Christ. Through one man’s disobedience, sin and death entered the world and spread to all humanity. Yet the free gift of grace far outweighs the trespass. If death came through one man’s sin, how much more does grace abound through Jesus Christ!
One trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. Where Adam’s disobedience made many sinners, Christ’s obedience makes many righteous. Grace is more powerful than sin, and Christ’s obedience reverses what Adam’s disobedience set in motion.
Gospel – Matthew 4:1-11
Immediately after his baptism, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he fasts for forty days and is tested. The devil approaches him with three temptations: to turn stones into bread and use his divine power for his own comfort; to throw himself from the temple’s pinnacle and test God’s protection; and to receive all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for his worship.
Each time, Jesus responds with Scripture, remaining firmly obedient to God. After his victory, the devil departs, and angels come to minister to him. Unlike Adam and Eve, who succumbed to temptation in paradise, Jesus remains faithful in the wilderness.
Reflection
The central theme of these readings is temptation, failure, and victory. In Eden’s abundance, Adam and Eve failed to trust God’s word and sought something more, introducing sin and death into the world. The psalmist teaches that hiding our sins brings only misery, while confession leads to forgiveness and joy. Paul shows that Christ’s obedience surpasses Adam’s disobedience — grace overflows where sin once increased.
In the Gospel, Jesus stands as the new Adam: tempted not in paradise but in the barren wilderness, not in abundance but in hunger, yet perfectly faithful to God’s word. As we journey through Lent, we are invited to recognize our failures, confess our sins, and trust in the grace secured through Christ’s obedience.
We are not alone in our wilderness — the Spirit guides us, God’s word directs us, and Christ has already won the victory.
You can read the full reflection and Scripture texts on today's services webpage.
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Blessings, and have a great week!
