Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: February 22, 2026

First Sunday of Lent

Matthew 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”

Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, ""All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.”

Then the devil left him, and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.

Breaking the text open:

The gospel reading for today, the 1^st Sunday of Lent is the familiar text from the Gospel of Matthew that details Jesus’ encounter with the devil at the conclusion of his 40 days of prayer and fasting in the desert following his baptism in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. In the encounter between Jesus and the devil, the devil seeks to tempt Jesus three times unsuccessfully.

The three tests by Satan of Jesus in the desert for 40 days bear some similarities to the temptations the Israelites faced in their desert journey of 40 years. The Israelites complained to the LORD because they were hungry, and the LORD sent Manna. The Israelites forged a golden calf idol while Moses was with the LORD on Mt. Sinai. And the Israelites tested the LORD at Meribah over water and food crops.

Where the Israelites did not trust in the LORD or the LORD’s loving care and providence in the desert, Jesus demonstrates total reliance upon the LORD, the very image of “poor in spirit.” In their struggles in the wilderness desert, the Israelites had chosen their will and placed themselves rather than the LORD at the center of the moment and their lives. Jesus, on the other hand, meets the temptations by citing scripture and holding up the LORD as the true source of life and identity.

Jesus shows us the path to deliverance through faithful obedience to the LORD and reliance upon the LORD’s power and presence, manifestations of the divine love. This text shows us that even Jesus was tempted; this passage also shows us that what matters is how we respond to the temptations – putting our relationship with the LORD first.

Meditating on the text:

When I am tempted, do I turn to the LORD for strength as well as direction? Do I know the scriptures well enough that they can inform my conscience? Do I use the gifts and powers the LORD has given to me solely for my benefit or realize they were given to me to share with others for the benefit of all? Do I seek acclaim or do I draw my identity from my faith and my relationship with the LORD? Do I fail to rightly worship my LORD through praise and thanksgiving, through contrition and petitions for the LORD’s help? Is my failure to worship the LORD daily a victory for Satan?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, at our creation You endowed us with a free will, giving us always the choice to choose You or to reject You. Yet as Love itself, You continue to allow us the freedom to choose which path we will follow and which relationships we will value. You sent your beloved Son, as our brother to be our redeemer, to reconcile us with You through his own life, death and resurrection, conquering sin and death for us all. Send your Spirit to enkindle in us the great fire of your love so that we might see more clearly, choose more wisely, and live more holy lives. Grant that we may choose to follow closely your Beloved Son, living according to his teachings and example, the true law of love that builds right relationships first with You and rightfully with our brothers and sisters. Instill in us not only a hunger for your presence but also for your sustaining Word. We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.