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Men’s Conference My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: I am very pleased that so many men of our Archdiocese have spent the day here at the eleventh annual Catholic Men’s Conference. I am likewise very pleased to see so many wives and children supporting these men and joining them now in this Eucharistic celebration. There is no doubt in my mind but that God is blessing every single one of us with His superabundant grace and love in a very special way at this very moment! I myself came here this morning to hear the four marvelous presenters and to participate fully in the entire conference. Once I entered the confessional, I experienced the way God used the presenters to inspire and motivate you men. Humbly and sincerely, one after another, you came to confess your sins and to receive sacramental absolution. What a marvelous way for you to begin this Lenten season. My prayer and my hope is that each of you who did go to confession today will receive the sacrament again very soon. Those who did not have the opportunity today must make this a priority now in this penitential season of Lent. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the word temptation as “an attraction, either from outside oneself or from within, to act contrary to right reason and the commandments of God. Jesus Himself during His life on earth was tempted, put to the test, to manifest both the opposition between Himself and the devil and the triumph of His saving work over Satan." In tonight’s Gospel, we heard the story of Jesus Who, after His baptism in the Jordan River, immediately set out for the desert. There He spent forty days in solitude and prayer. When He completed this special time, the devil came and tempted Him. Remember, even though Jesus is the Eternal Son of God, He is also one of us. Jesus is God and Man. He willingly and lovingly accepted our weak human nature. This was God’s plan and way to redeem us from sin and merit for us life everlasting in heaven. In the Gospel account, the devil tempted Jesus three times, trying to compromise His filial relationship with His Heavenly Father. Unlike Adam in the Garden of Paradise or Israel on their pilgrimage or you and me in our daily lives, Jesus rebuffs these attempts of the devil because He does not sin. There is a salvific meaning to these temptations of Jesus. Sin entered the world through the sin of Adam. In the Scriptures and in the writings of the early fathers, Jesus is called “The New Adam” because He remained faithful to the plan of God whereas Adam had given in to the temptor. By his sin, Adam brought us death. By His obedience to the Divine Will, Jesus brings us life. Jesus’ victory over the devil is His victory over sin and death which culminates on the Cross. By recounting the temptation of Jesus, we are given a glimpse into God’s beautiful plan for us. Jesus is now showing us how He truly is Messiah and Lord. This is in total contrast to the way the devil presents God to us and the false way that humans often give in to temptation and design their own image of God. All of us say we believe in God. Yet there are so many times that our daily actions and lives do not reflect the true Image of God. Jesus is that Image. Our heavenly Father reveals the Divine Trinity to us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It is Jesus Who leads us to the Father. It is Jesus who invites us to the eternal heavenly kingdom. Today, we have heard beautiful testimonials and received encouragement for our safe and happy journey of life. Unfortunately, however, we are daily surrounded by false images of money, security, pleasure and material success. These are the images that the devil uses to entice us to commit sin. He tempts us to disobey God. Satan wants us to turn away from God and to reject God’s plan for us in favor of our own shallow and selfish desires as if we are equal to God! When we give in to temptation and act contrary to God’s plan, we sin. Sin is always evil and always affects us negatively. Sin brings us misery and unhappiness. God, on the other hand, offers us peace and joy and love and life everlasting. Dear brothers who have participated in this men’s conference and wives and families of these men, what a marvelous reality is offered us. Jesus invites us, sinners though we are, to the table of His kingdom. He invites us to a conversion from sin which is absolutely necessary to enter everlasting life in heaven. In inviting us to true conversion, Jesus asks us to make a radical choice. We must choose between God’s plan or Satan’s plan. God’s plan is revealed to us in the Scriptures, through the Church teachings and in prayer and sacrifice. The devil’s plan comes to us through pride and greed and the illicit use of alcohol, drugs and sex. When we give in to temptations, we sin. No sin can ever bring us peace or joy or happiness. Only Jesus does that! Men, women and children of faith, today Jesus is calling us to repent of our sins. The Church has offered us this liturgical time of Lent so that we might change. Just a few days ago, we began this holy season with the imposition of the blessed ashes on our foreheads. We were reminded that we are dust and unto dust we shall return. We were challenged to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel. My dear people, there is no doubt but that God Who created us, redeems us and call us, loves us totally and completely. Do we in deed, as well as in words, love Him in return? Are we preparing now to stand before Him on the last day? Will we hear that beautiful welcome into heaven: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter the kingdom prepared for you from all eternity.” Most Reverend Eusebius J.
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