On this first Sunday of Lent, Father Michael Renninger, Pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia, asks a thought-provoking question. He tells of watching a panel of political analysts discussing candidates. Renninger asks, “Will any politician ever be content just to be who they are? Is any candidate willing to be authentic, to be honest, to define themselves honestly, rather than defining themselves with some fake persona that’s been put together by someone who is good at taking polls?” In today’s passage, Luke 4:1-13, Jesus gives us an example of how to define ourselves. Jesus defines his life by a basic decision and a basic truth. He chooses to always do things God’s way. How do we resist temptation to define ourselves by worldly standards instead of God’s standards? How can we use the season of Lent to help us live as Jesus, doing things God’s way, instead of our way?
