March 10-11: Follow Up to Sunday's Mass. As we heard over the weekend, Lent begins with a reflection

As we heard over the weekend, Lent begins with a reflection on the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. The Church always offers a Gospel account of the temptation stories at the beginning of this season because temptations come to everybody, not only to Jesus. The challenge, of course, is to learn to respond to those temptations in the way He did.

To some, the following might seem a little too dramatic, but it is meant as a follow-up to Sunday’s Gospel and Jesus’ experience in the desert.

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Satan’s Beatitudes:

Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, and too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians in Church – they are my best workers.

Blessed are those who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked – I can use them in any business I have.

Blessed are those who are touchy, soon they will stop going to Church – verily, they shall be my missionaries.

Blessed are those who sow trouble – they are my beloved children.

Blessed are those who have no time to pray – for they are my prey.

Blessed are those who gossip – for they are my secret agents.

Blessed are you when you read this and think it has everything to do with other people, and nothing to do with you – I’ve got room for YOU at my inn.

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A little wisdom for the coming week: It is much more difficult to pick “forbidden fruits” from 100 yards away than it is to do so from within arm’s reach. If you flee far from temptation, be sure not to leave a forwarding address!