ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Praised be Jesus Christ! Now and Forever!

Dear brother Priests,
Dear Deacons, Religious, Catechumens, Candidates, Godparents, Sponsors, Family and Friends,

How good it is for us to be here this day. As we continue to celebrate 200 years as a Diocese, I welcome you all to the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the mother Church of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, for the Rite of Election. I especially welcome the catechumens and the candidates for full reception who have been chosen to begin their final preparation for reception of the sacraments of the Catholic Church.

God has written His call deep within your hearts and you have responded "yes" to the marvelous power of God’s love. The seeds of God’s word have taken root in your life as evidenced in your practice of prayer and service, and your desire to learn the teachings of the Catholic Church. Your pastors, catechists, godparents and sponsors have recognized in you a deepening conversion to the person of Jesus Christ and can testify to your readiness and willingness.

In the name of the Church, I will soon accept you as those elected to receive the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil. This Rite, therefore, marks a significant and sacred moment in your journey of faith. Now your faith will sustain you as you continue to walk with Christ as God’s chosen ones.

On this first Sunday of Lent, we begin a journey that leads us to the cross of Calvary and the joy of Easter. Today’s readings reflect on temptation and sin. In the first reading, Adam and Eve fall to the temptation to trust their own knowledge and judgment rather than God’s. In doing so, they set themselves up for a journey that takes them away from the Garden of Paradise and from eternal life with God. In the Gospel, Jesus journeys with the Holy Spirit into the desert, where, in His human nature, He faces the temptation to take physical and spiritual matters into His own hands. Jesus places His trust in God His Father for everything He needs and sends the devil away. Lent invites us to turn away from sin, embrace the Gospel and move closer to God, trusting in His guidance and love.

The story of Adam and Eve in the garden probes the mystery of sin and suffering. In the garden, God the Creator and Protector has planted trees for the first man and woman and established a moral order. He gives them permission to eat the fruit of nearly everything in the garden; only the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is forbidden. God explains that this order exists for Adam and Eve’s well-being, but the serpent convinces the woman to think that God’s order only keeps them from becoming more like God. The woman allows herself to be convinced and eats from the tree of knowledge as does Adam. The result is shame and broken relationships: they hide their nakedness, hide from God, and blame one another. Sin always brings alienation and suffering.

Jesus, on the other hand, resists temptation and trusts in God’s faithfulness and love. The devil tries to persuade Jesus to prove He is the Son of God by using His power to feed Himself and by testing God’s protective love. However, Jesus is secure in His loving relationship with God His Father. Jesus does not have to prove anything; He knows that God’s order, God’s will in His human life, is for His good and the good of all.

Today’s Gospel tells us that even Jesus, who was God from all eternity, when He came to earth, was tempted in His human nature by the devil but maintained His clear focus on fulfilling the work given Him by the Father. Clearly our focus too has to be on God. These stories of temptation remind us that our life is lived in the midst of human weakness, which we too can overcome as Jesus did. The more we trust God’s love and the wisdom of His ways, the more we will be able to overcome the temptation of sin and live in the light of God’s truth.

On this first Sunday of Lent we hear the words of Psalm 51, "A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me." May these words remind you, dear friends, that the Spirit of God is always with you, helping you to chose good and reject evil.

In all that lies ahead, the good experiences and the trials, remember that you are not alone. As one who is baptized, each of you is a member of the Body of Christ, united as one in faith and love, as one given the promise of victory over sin. In the sacramental and prayer life of the Catholic Church you will find the strength and courage needed to profess your faith in Christ, by your words and actions.

My dear catechumens and candidates: as you continue your important journey of faith, we look forward to the day when you will be one with us at the table of the Lord. I assure you of the prayerful support of the Church community as you journey with joy and trust to the Easter Sacraments. Be at peace and continue to hear God’s call as you prepare to enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery of His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.