First Sunday in Lent

Collect
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Deuteronomy 26:(1-4)5-11
(When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our forefathers to give us." The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God.) Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, putting us to hard labor. Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O LORD, have given me." Place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him. And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.

Second Lesson: Romans 10:(5-8a)8b-13
(Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them."A But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say?) "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Psalm: 91

  1. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, *
    abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
  2. He shall say to the LORD,
    "You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
    my God in whom I put my trust."
  3. He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
    and from the deadly pestilence.
  4. He shall cover you with his pinions,
    and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
    his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
  5. You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
    nor of the arrow that flies by day;
  6. Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
    nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.
  7. A thousand shall fall at your side
    and ten thousand at your right hand, *
    but it shall not come near you.
  8. Your eyes have only to behold *
    to see the reward of the wicked.
  9. Because you have made the LORD your refuge, *
    and the Most High your habitation,
  10. There shall no evil happen to you, *
    neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
  11. For he shall give his angels charge over you, *
    to keep you in all your ways.
  12. They shall bear you in their hands, *
    lest you dash your foot against a stone.
  13. You shall tread upon the lion and adder; *
    you shall trample the young lion and the serpent
    under your feet.
  14. Because he is bound to me in love,
    therefore will I deliver him; *
    I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
  15. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
    I am with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
  16. With long life will I satisfy him, *
    and show him my salvation.

Gospel: Luke 4:1-13
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'"

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
"'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Collect & Psalm from the Book of Common Prayer
Other excerpts from the New International Bible

Sts. Vidicon & Isidore