First Sunday of Lent. Year A - Sunday, February 22, 2026 (EPISODE: 572)​

First Sunday of Lent. Year A - Sunday, February 22, 2026 (EPISODE: 572)

First Sunday of Lent. Year A - Sunday, February 22, 2026

(EPISODE: 572)

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Readings for Sunday, 22 February 2026
FIRST READING: Gen 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14+17. "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned."
SECOND READING: Rom 5:12-19
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 4:4b). Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless Glory. No one lives on bread alone. But on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
GOSPEL: Matt 4:1-11 – Temptation

Image Credit: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/likNHyI5OQzlP9GVwUJb/jesus-fasting-and-praying-in-the-desert-first-century-palestine-is-tempted-by-a-shadowy-figure?ru=Paul-Evangelion
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for the First Sunday of Lent. Year A - Sunday, February 22, 2026 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-first/s-QrGRqotwatb (EPISODE:572 )
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Our Lenten journey has well and truly begun. It's a wonderful time of extra prayer, reflection and penance, in order to refocus our sights upon Christ and his Gospel. This weekend we hear of the temptation of our Lord in the desert.

I'd always seen this as a time of preparation for Christ's public ministry, and in a sense that's perfectly true, but it's more than that. It turns out that this is his first and definitive battle, and victory, in God's war against the derailing effects of temptation, to ignore the Father's will in a distorted and self-justified attempt to follow our own will. This has wracked the human condition since the beginning.

In the desert, Christ strikes the first blow against humanity's alienation from God. 

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Our Lord wastes no time going straight to work in achieving his heavenly Father's mission.

Jesus, of course, is God made human, the new Adam, and he quickly sets about reversing the failures to temptation that have been around us since the beginnings of humanity and which we still face today. Although Jesus is God, he is also completely human like us. So in his humanity he faces temptation and he defeats it.

We can see this forty days in the desert as a massive battle between forces of God's kingdom and the forces of evil. Our Lord shows us how to take on temptation and not succumb to it and its distortion of the truth. Our Lord uses prayer, fasting and an intense focus on the will of the Father to cut through the lies of the evil one.

We notice too that Satan turns up to assail him near the end of his forty days. Our Lord would have been extremely tired and very hungry and at his physical and emotional weakest. And this is when Satan begins his cowardly attacks.

It's good to keep in mind that we're often attacked by temptation when we're at our lowest and most vulnerable. The powers and values that oppose the kingdom of heaven do not fight fair, but we must be prepared nevertheless. What's also fascinating is God turns even malicious temptation by the enemy as a means of strengthening and reinforcing the steely resolve of his faithful ones.

Jesus was tried and passed through the trial with flying colors. Where Adam and his ancestors failed, Jesus succeeded and now schools us in how to deal with temptation ourselves. We learn that temptation is deceitful.

It often comes in the form of taking a good thing and luring us to use a good motive or a good thing for a bad reason or to use it excessively. We're heartened by Paul's letter to the Corinthians, the first letter, where he writes, God never lets us face more than we can handle and gives us the help to escape its clutches. From the Gospel today, we learn that there are two areas of temptation.

Temptations to people in leadership positions and then ordinary temptation on a personal level. Satan tried both with our Lord. Firstly, Satan appealed to our Lord as a leader.

He tempted him to show and to prove that he was relevant to his audience. He tempted him to be popular and spectacular. He tempted him to use power over others.

And see how our Lord counters this. Temptation to be relevant and prove oneself is countered by our Lord by prayer and discerning just exactly what is the Father's will. Temptation to be spectacular and to convince others is countered by obedience and humility.

Temptation to power is overcome by vulnerability and a trust in God's providence and grace being more than sufficient. Satan was also tempting Jesus in his personal needs and we too can be tempted in our personal needs. First of all, we're tempted to use our actions to meet our physical needs, not trusting that our true needs will be given to us without recourse to extreme or controlling behavior.

Secondly, we're tempted to confirm and test our Lord's will and love, to presume on it when we already know we've been shown God's love and care in so many different ways. Our Lord knew he had been very powerfully affirmed and commissioned and he did not need to test that or ask for more confirmation because that would have been pure self-indulgence. And of course, the personal temptation to pride and power.

The stock in trade of the tempter is to want to trick us into thinking God has abandoned us or doesn't care about our needs. And secondly, to tempt us that we can handle our temptation and our needs better than anyone, just by ourselves. Our Lord shows us that the real question that we need to focus upon in all of this is, what is the Father's will? What does the Father want for me? Can I do this thing and truly love God the Father and delight in God? Is this choice I am being tempted with, putting God as the source and destination of my delight and my goals, or the opposite? It's very telling that after this extreme tussle in the wilderness, Christ commands Satan to be off and he goes.

Eventually temptation is dealt with by telling it to get lost. Our Lord has succeeded in fending off the prideful and misleading lies of the tempter and afterward we're told angels come to tend to him and give him what he needs after all. There's more than a sense that this army of angels comes to support their king in this first of his many victories and give him what he needs, which Jesus knew would be provided by his Father, and not from rash acts of willfulness, pride or force.

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To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
Also found at - https://tinyurl.com/FHLpwk
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References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly; from Wilkins, M. (2004). Matthew: NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan. E-edition. November 2014. Around p 153-164.

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 148333646 - VIENNA - JULY 27: Fresco of Temptation of Jesus scene in side nave of Altlerchenfelder church from 19. cent. on July 27, 2013, in Vienna. Important information: Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: -Renata Sedmakova

First Sunday of Lent. Year A (Sunday, February 22, 2026) (EPISODE: 572)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{May Our Lord's Fidelity strengthen you.}} welcome everyone; we gather - To offer up praise, prayers and intercessions to God. On this First Sunday of Lent. Year A

Coming together as God's family, let us call to mind our sins.
Lord Jesus, you healed the sick: Lord, have mercy//Lord Jesus, you forgave sinners: Christ, have mercy//Lord Jesus, you give us yourself to heal us and bring us strength: Lord, have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14+17. "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 4:4b). Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless Glory. No one lives on bread alone. But on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
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PREFACE: Temptation of the Lord
Euch Prayer II
Communion side. pwk:
(theme variation: 2 )

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{Bless you all, and May God's grace guide you each and every day.}

Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:

"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney, Australia).

"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

Lenten Hymn: "Have Mercy" Inspired by Psalm 50(51). Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2020.

Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.

Editing equipment: NCH Software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing: iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[ Production - KER - 2026]

May God bless and keep you.
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Ash Wednesday MASS - February 18th, 2026. Weekday Solemnity-​

Ash Wednesday MASS  - February 18th, 2026. Weekday Solemnity-  

Readings for Ash Wednesday Mass -
First Reading: Joel 2:12-18
Psalm: Ps 50:3-6. 12-14. 17. "Be Merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned."
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2
Gospel Acclamation: cf Ps 94:8  "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory! If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!"
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6. 16-18
Homily
Blessing and Distribution of Ashes
  Distribution of Ashes
      Prayer of the Faithful

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed Photo ID: 1615569214 - Ash Wednesday, crucifix made of ash, to dust as in the Christian religion. Lent beginning- Photo Contributor: vetre
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To listen to the audio recording of the readings, prayers and reflections for Ash Wednesday, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-the-ash/s-9pTns9XnTDF
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Prologue:  Faith, Hope and Love, the first day of the season of Lent, Ash Wednesday. 

Welcome as we gather to mark the beginning of the season of Lent, 40 days of prayer, penance and self-denial, reminding us of our Lord's 40 days in the wilderness. This season also prepares us for the renewal and new life celebrated in the Easter season.

Ashes, as we know, is a symbol of destruction and death. They're used as an ancient Judeo-Christian symbol of our journey from death to new life. We use ashes from the old burnt palm branches that were used in Palm Sunday Masses.

When we think about Lent, we generally think in terms of giving something up, a kind of dying to self, but the readings today suggest Lent is about beginnings, coming to new life, deepening our relationship with God and others and transforming who we are and how we live. This is Faith, Hope and Love. 

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Homily - 

In this Lenten fasting, we also remember and imitate the example of Jesus, who fasted forty long days in the wilderness, as he prepared to begin his life-giving ministry on earth.

Lent is a time of prayer, penance and good works, which are three aspects of one thing. The purpose of fasting and abstinence is not to punish ourselves, nor is it a time of testing our willpower and personal strength, but rather it's to create a space in us for God, and a detachment from whatever may keep us at a distance from coming to an ever-closer connection to God. This is a beautiful season, and it's a time for God to help us loosen our willfulness and self-focus.

The idea that Lent is some kind of a test of our willpower and resolve, our resistance to temptation, actually defeats the real purpose of this time. It's precisely not about our willpower, but rather surrendering our wilfulness and self-focus to God's giving and loving will. If we enter into the season with a humble, contrite and not willful attitude, God's grace will produce wonderful fruits in us that will last.

Overcoming sin and defeating habits is not about willpower, since it is our willfulness and the imperfection of our ability to will all that is good for us without God's help that often leads us to falling into things we know are harmful to us and to others. Imagine an army that tries to fortify its castle, focusing on only the outside, making sure that the walls and doors are strong and resistant to attack, but the enemy is constantly looking for gaps in the fortress, even tiny floors where the armour is weak or imperfect. Then they can break through these gaps and once inside, they can wreak havoc.

The idea of Lent is not to build a powerful external armour so that if there is a flaw, we're hopeless inside, and a lot of these things are coming from inside, from a heart that's not entirely given over to God. Lent is allowing God's grace and the virtues and gospel to fill us up from the inside out, fill our hearts and minds, so that if the enemy found a gap, they'd come inside and the heart would be completely filled with Jesus' values, that there was simply no room for them, and they'd have to retreat. So we rely not merely on outward shields, as if the inner life is so completely weak that it would fall at once when breached.

In self-denial and in giving of time to more prayer and good works, our hearts move ever closer to God. Distractions like excess food or other things that take up our time and energy are avoided, helping us to become more focused and attentive, and more charitable. Let's read and pray with God's word in the scriptures even more in this season, because this living word is the source of our grace and life, and also let's read and reflect on the enormous resources of the lives and wisdom of the saints, who have before us heroically shown how to allow God's grace to fill us up and transform us and grow in holiness and love.

Let our heartfelt prayer this year be, Lord, help us to be true ambassadors for you in our words and actions. Lord, let no one look at our lives and actions and ask, where is your God? Let our love and practical charity shine out with the answer. During Lent we give to the excellent cause of Project Compassion, run by the Catholic charity Caritas, which of course means love in action.

May this and so many ordinary and everyday acts of kindness, patience, forbearance, mercy, practical help and compassion fill our minds and hearts with Jesus' loving heart. For Project Compassion you can visit www.caritas.org.au forward slash project dash compassion for more information and for donation options.  

[Please visit - https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion for more information and for donation options] 

Lent is a six-week gift to the church from God, as a time of nurturing positive habits of prayer, self-denial and giving of our time and resources for worthy causes, to build up our spiritual health and build up good habits and attitudes that become so automatic and natural to us that we do them without hesitation and for no other reason than our love for God, so that as the reading says today, our left hand doesn't even know what our right hand is doing, but what it is doing is something good and for God.

The Gospel has a lot of wisdom in it. Those things that are done for no other reason but the love of God and not for anything else, not for notice, not for reward in this life, not for people's admiration, actions done purely for the glory and praise of God alone, this is close to the nature and heart of God. This is also at the heart of the Gospels and of our faith.

It's the source of lasting truth. So let's make this time of Lent the wonderful joy-filled gift that it really is, a time of peaceful self-denial and making space for God, fostering positive habits that will last well beyond 40 days, and may God, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to perfection in the secret of our own hearts. 

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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly

https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion

 

#Elizabeth Harrington – Liturgy Brisbane  © Liturgybrisbane.

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed Photo ID: 1615569214 - Ash Wednesday, crucifix made of ash, dust as in the Christian religion. Lent beginning- Photo Contributor: vetre
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In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
{{May God's Spirit of Wisdom and Awe abide in you.}}

(no penitential rite, as the ashes – given later – are the penitential act on this day).
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After the Homily -
(as placed on the forehead.. the minister says: - ): 
"Repent, and believe in the Gospel."
Or alternatively:
"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
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Memorial Acclamation
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free.
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Preface: Lent III
Eucharist Prayer II
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{my heartfelt thanks for your participation in this time of reflection, prayer and praise.}
Dismissal:

Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.


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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
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To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks


Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney, Australia).

-Lenten Hymn: "Have Mercy," inspired by Psalm 50(51). Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2020

[ Production - KER - 2026]
May God bless and keep you.