ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever.

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

How good it is for us to be here this day.  I welcome you 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 the final preparations 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 now take root in your life as evidenced in your practice of prayer and service and your desire to learn the teachings of the Catholic faith.  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.  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, as God's chosen, your faith will sustain you as you continue to walk with Christ.

On this, the first Sunday of Lent, dear catechumens and candidates, we begin a journey that leads us toward the Cross of Calvary and the joy of Easter. In the Gospel today, the Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the desert and there he was tempted. By their very nature, temptations lure us. They present us with something that seems attractive and desirable. The temptations presented to Jesus by the devil involved three perceived goods: seeking easy solutions to human hungers, pursuing "power and glory," and defying death. Every temptation is both a challenge and an opportunity: the challenge to say no to evil and yes to good; the opportunity to make life choices that lead us to a deeper relationship with God. This choice between self-satisfaction and fidelity to God frees us, like Jesus, to be who we are meant to be, persons "led by the Spirit.".

Dear catechumens and candidates, not even the Son of God was exempt from being tested! We can expect no less in our own lives. We must remember that temptation is not an indication of sinfulness; rather, it is an occasion for showing that our lives are turned to God, who loves us as His sons and daughters. As in the case of Jesus, temptations, and our very resistance to them, strengthen us in our choices for goodness and holiness. In making these choices, we are continually choosing who we want to be: those who faithfully serve God by doing good for others. Temptation's lure to self-satisfaction is overcome by an even stronger lure: growth in holiness and transformation into ever more beloved sons and daughters of God.

Lent is a time for all of us to examine our choices. Just as God led Israel to a "land flowing with milk and honey," as we hear in our first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, so will God lead us to salvation. Saint Paul, in his letter to the Romans, reminds us that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Temptation is never absent from our lives. Our desert is the demands of everyday living, and our salvation is Jesus Christ. We do not have to go out into a desert to find temptation, but we do need God's presence to resist it. Each day that we take up our cross and lay down our life for the sake of others we are strengthened by grace to resist temptation and come to greater faith. Today's responsorial psalm reminds us that when this happens we need only call "on the name of the Lord," and, with unshakable confidence, know that God will always be present in our time of "trouble."

Dear catechumens and candidates, dear friends, in the Catholic tradition, this season of Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and charity. It is a time to look deep within and discern the areas where sin still lurks and where there is need for conversion. It is a time of spiritual reflection in preparation for the celebration of the Sacraments.

Godparents, sponsors, catechists and all the faithful, during this season of Lent, I remind you of your responsibility to give good example to these elect and these candidates. Help them learn our Lenten practices; and, along with these, a deeper understanding and experience of the Paschal Mystery.

Dear catechumens and candidates, as you continue your pilgrimage of faith, we look forward to the day when you will be fully one with us. Be assured of the prayerful support of the Church community in your journey to the Easter Sacraments.  May the peace of God the Father, Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit remain with you in these Lenten days of preparation to celebrate, with Easter joy, the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.