Day Three: Temptation

It's the first Sunday of Lent.

The three temptations of Jesus are highlighted.

Jesus overcomes the demonic attempts to lure him.

It isn't so well in the movie, Moonstruck.

The wife suspects that her husband is running around.  She reminds him that everyone will die one day.

And, her daughter gets it also.  She'd told that her life is "going down the toilet," for living with her boyfriend, in the same movie.

Temptations are always around.

I'm reminded of the story by Portia Nelson:

I walk down the street.

There's  a hole; I fall in it.

I walk down the same street. 

The same hold is there.  I fall in it again.

I walk down another street.

Distractions are key to temptations.

When one's tempted to be angry, it's been said, to start saying the Lord's Prayer.

At church today, a couple of women were expecting to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation.

No priest was available, however.

Usual time is at 3 pm each Saturday.

When I arrived for 4 pm Mass, I was able to converse with the penitents and apologize, at least, that no one told me to comme to hear confessions at 3.

After Mass, one stood by for the sacrament.

The snow poured.

The deacon seated nearby noticed that the snow stopped when I preached.

He said it stopped because of me.

Wow!

If I had such influence.