By Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III

Bishop of Biloxi

In the Gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we read how Jesus was led into the desert for 40 days, just as we have now entered into Lent—a 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to prepare our hearts for the Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord.

Imagine what it was like for Jesus in the desert. There were no comforts and he ate no food. His time in the wilderness was a period of fasting, prayer, sacrifice, and preparation. Likewise, Lent is a time for us to prepare our hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits to receive Jesus anew, especially as we look forward to His Resurrection. Ultimately, Lent is about the Resurrection.

During the 40 days Jesus was in the desert to fast and pray, he was tempted by the devil. The devil first tempted Jesus through His hunger—not only physical hunger but also His spiritual hunger. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones to become bread.” But Jesus responded that true life comes not from bread alone but from the Word of God. It is God’s Word that truly feeds us.

During Lent, we often give things up or take on special penances, prayers, or sacrifices. At its core, however, Lent is about this Gospel message. It invites us to ask: What distracts us from God’s love? What pulls us away, and what draws us closer to Him?

A personal story comes to mind. I love to fish, and a friend of mine once said, “My rod and my reel, they comfort me.” It is a playful twist on Psalm 23, but it prompts us to reflect: What are the things in our lives that bring us comfort? Do they lead us to God or away from Him?

One of our priests once challenged a group of Catholic high school students to give up their cell phones for 40 days. You can imagine their reactions—some even started to tremble! Yet, some of them took it seriously, and gave up all social media during Lent. It is good to give up things like soft drinks or chocolate, but our sacrifices should also address the temptations that pull us away from God.

In the second temptation, the devil took Jesus to a high parapet and urged Him to throw Himself down, promising that angels would catch Him. Jesus refused, showing us that it is by God’s hands—not our own—that we are ultimately carried. The temptation here is one of pride—believing we control everything, that we can do it all on our own. But the truth is, we cannot. Spiritually, we must ask ourselves: What are we trying to control in our lives? What are we clinging to before admitting that we need God’s help?

Lent invites us to strengthen our spiritual lives. What Lenten practice or observance will help us? It might be prayer, praying the rosary, reading and contemplating Scripture daily, or engaging with spiritually enriching content on YouTube, social media, podcasts and television. Whatever we prayerfully choose, it should deepen our spiritual love and draw us closer to God.

The third temptation was about power over others. The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, offering them if He would bow down to him. Jesus firmly responded, “You shall worship the Lord, your God, and Him alone shall you serve.”

This prompts us to reflect: Who do we try to control in our lives? Are we attempting to mold others into our image instead of God’s? What penance could help us address this—perhaps practicing patience, embracing humility, or learning to walk with others in love? We should ask God to bless our relationships—with our spouses, children, grandchildren, classmates, and coworkers—allowing His love to transform them.

Ultimately, this Gospel challenges us to examine what or whom we worship. What is most important to us? Is it power, money, possessions? Jesus reminds us that only God deserves our worship. That is why we gather every Sunday and throughout the week for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass – to worship God.

As we journey through Lent, let us pray for the grace to make this a time of true conversion. May our prayer and sacrifices during Lent allow God’s love enter our hearts in a fresh, new way so that, when we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, we—His sheep—will rise with Him to eternal life forever.