well, that's certainly Tempting
The War will go on in accord with Russian will, it's discouraging that the world has returned to mid-20th century, and no need to hear from me anyway. My opinion, Russian strategy is total destruction, to clear Ukraine into a Texas-size buffer zone devoid of cities, villages and people, none evacuating need think of returning, nothing to return to when the Russians are done. My further opinion, a decapitating OBL lightning strike, in and out, but WTH do I know, nothing. It's Lent, starting with Temptation: maybe a sufficient bounty would Tempt a courageous soul.
Of discretion being the better part of valor, had the Ukranians known what was to come, might they have been Tempted to abandon western-oriented aspirations and affiliate closer with Russia?
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So back to what I do know. Lectionary C, we're in Luke and here in 7H I have multiple sources for studying Luke again, just as if back in seminary, better, and now in retirement more Time available for it. Here are the propers for Sunday, Lent 1C:
Proper Preface for Lent
Through Jesus Christ our Lord; who was tempted in every way as we are, yet did not sin. By his grace we are able to triumph over every evil, and to live no longer for ourselves alone, but for him who died for us and rose again.
or this
You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts, and prepare with joy for the Paschal feast; that, fervent in prayer and in works of mercy, and renewed by your Word and Sacraments, they may come to the fullness of grace which you have prepared for those who love you.
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Romans 10:8b-13
Luke 4:1-13
Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
The Collect
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament Deuteronomy 26:1-11
When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, "Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us." When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, you shall make this response before the Lord your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me." You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.
Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, * abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 He shall say to the Lord, "You are my refuge and my stronghold, * my God in whom I put my trust."
9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, * and the Most High your habitation,
10 There shall no evil happen to you, * neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, * to keep you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you in their hands, * lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; * you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet.
14 Because he is bound to me in love, therefore will I deliver him; * I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; * I am with him in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, * and show him my salvation.
The Epistle Romans 10:8b-13
"The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
The Gospel Luke 4:1-13
The Temptation of Jesus
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” 4 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”
5 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”
9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’
11 and
‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”
12 Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
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What then? When might be "an opportune time", and does Luke, or any evangelist, show that such opportunity came?
Most of Luke comes from Mark, but not this passage: where did Luke get it?
How does the order of the devil's three Temptations differ in Luke and Matthew, and what might be a significance of that?
"Tempted but did not sin" - - was Jesus really tempted? What was "The Last Temptation of Christ" in the film?
What does Luke mean by Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit? Is Luke trinitarian?
Where does Paul get "The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart"?
My mother was raised Southern Baptist. A relative on her side once quoted to me, "if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" and insisted that doing those two things was the sole requirement for salvation. What does it mean to "be saved" anyway?
Notice in the Psalm, that at verse 14 the voice changes to oracle, the Lord himself speaking, responding; and there's that word "salvation", what might it mean to be shown the Lord's salvation?
The psalm is meant to be Responsive to the Old Testament lesson: in what way is it responsive?
Deuteronomy: there's that famous verse, "a wandering Aramean was my ancestor". What's the meaning of it?
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