relativism – deacon rudy's notes

As we begin our first Sunday of Lent, we tackle an important social condition that is perhaps at the very core of the spiritual crisis today.

In the first reading from Genesis, we come to the temptation in the Garden, and indeed our second reading is a reflection on this first temptation which lead to the first – the original sin. This is a very important point. Too often we talk about the original sin, but before there was a sin, there was a temptation. What was the first temptation?

As you read the first reading which you’ll find near the bottom of the notes for today’s reflection, I want you to carefully read the interaction between the serpent and Eve. You can almost hear the conversation, can’t you?

What happened in the first chapter of Genesis? God created and he said it was good. Now in chapter two, the serpent says to Eve, “Good? You’re not good! You’re human! Look at you! You’re filthy. You’re disgusting! No, you are not good. But if you want to be good, then you need to eat the fruit of this tree. In fact, if you eat the fruit of this tree, you won’t just be good – you will be like God – no – you will be gods!”

What is the first temptation?

The first temptation is to reject the goodness of God’s creation. We buy into the voices whispering in our ears that we can’t be good. And that leads to the next big temptation – to be gods. What do gods get to do? Gods get to decide right from wrong; good from bad. So, if I do as the first humans did in the Garden – if I turn my back on what God asks of me, then I will be in control and I get to decide good from bad – right from wrong.

We are bombarded all day long with a myriad of voices. It’s impossible to tell the good from the bad. It’s all too easy to give in to the voice we think is good and embrace ourselves – our intellect – our wealth – our accomplishments, and convince ourselves that what we have is the ultimate good.

This, I think, is what Satan tempts Jesus with in today’s Gospel. If Jesus would just turn his back on God, then Jesus can become a god on earth, and he can have untold riches. It will be okay because as a god, Jesus will decide what is right from wrong. He can say that rejecting God’s voice isn’t bad and doing whatever you want whenever you want is good.

This is the at the very heart of relativism. What’s good for me doesn’t have to be good for you. Why? Because in my house, I’m god. In your house, you’re god. So, your rules can be different from mine. There is no such thing as moral Truth. It’s live and let live. And that idea is, quite frankly, intoxicating. But truth is that nothing – not wealth or sex or power or drugs or alcohol – nothing can fill the whole in our hearts except the love of Jesus Christ.

And what do we do with that love? We share it with others. As disciples, our task is to help build God’s Kingdom on earth. So, as disciples we strive to use the gifts and talents we have been given – to develop the best version of ourselves to give people hope and to help make the here and now a better place for everyone.

Is that easy? Is living a life totally in touch with our gifts and talents and totally following the will of the Father easy? No. The experience of the cross tells us that the path for the disciple is not only difficult, but it can be dangerous. But the question before you and before me is about our eternity. No wealth can save us. Only Jesus can save us. So, especially during this season of Lent, we should listen more intently and try to discern not only God’s voice among the myriad of voices we hear, but we should also try to identify and, with the help God provides through our guardian angels and the saints, reject the voices of the enemy. Like our psalmist, we turn to God and we cry out, “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.”

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and by the Eucharist, I ask you to reflect on the following two questions this week.

First, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. How do I test God’s love for me? How can I grow in trust of God?
Second, Behold, angels came and ministered to him. How have I felt God’s care this week? How can I share God’s loving care with those in need?

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

References:

Lectio Divina Of The Gospels. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2019.
Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.
The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References: Easily search the Catechism at http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

Temptation of Jesus, 394, 538-540, 2119
“Lead us not into temptation”, 2846-2949
Jesus and the angels, 333
Seductions of the devil, 394-395
The Fall, 385-390, 396-400
Adam, Original Sin, Christ the New Adam, 359, 402-411, 615

First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 22
Mass Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030120.cfm

Reading
First Reading Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow
that were delightful to look at and good for food,
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
“Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?”
The woman answered the serpent:
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman:
“You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil.”
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.

Responsorial
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17
R. (cf. 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Second Reading
Romans 5:12-19 OR 5:12, 17-19
Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those who did not sin
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,
who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one, the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned.
For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation;
but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.

Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.

or if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.

Verse Before The Gospel
Matthew 4:4B
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

ospel
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.

Tag: relativism

First Sunday in Lent

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