Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." Jesus answered him, "It is written, One does not live on bread alone."
Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, "I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me." Jesus said to him in reply, "It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve."
Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone. "Jesus said to him in reply, "It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test." When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
CONOCE A NUESTRA FAMILIA EXTENDIDA:
meet our extended family
St. Ephrem (Feast Day June 9)
c. 306-June 9, 373
Ephrem was born around the year 306 in Nisibis, a city in what is now Turkey. When the Persians invaded his homeland, Ephrem moved to Edessa. He was a deacon of the Church. He was called upon to help distribute food during a famine, ensuring no one was hoarding food or starving.
He is known as “the harp of the Holy Spirit” because of his gift for writing beautiful hymns. Ephrem was one of the first early writers of his time to have a devotion to Mary. In addition to hymns, Ephrem wrote commentaries on the Bible and theological poetry. He supported himself making sails for ships while living a very simple life. He used his gifts of writing and teaching, and even his hymns to teach others about the faith.
In 373, Ephrem died serving the sick and dying who were victims of a plague that struck the city. Pope Benedict XV named St. Ephrem a Doctor of the Church in 1920. He is the only deacon to have that title.
TOMA TIEMPO PARA COMPARTIR
Take time to chat
•Today’s Gospel begins by saying that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit when he returned from the Jordan. Do you think the Holy Spirit helped Jesus resist the temptation of the devil? In what way can the Holy Spirit help us to resist temptation?
•What would it be like to be in the desert for 40 days?
•Jesus really knows the Scriptures. Each time the devil tempts Jesus, Jesus responds with a Scripture passage. What is one thing you can do to grow in your knowledge of Scripture?
•St. Ephrem used his gift of writing to share his faith. What talents do you have that can help you share the faith?
DIVERSIÓN FAMILIAR
Family Fun
Exercise Time!
In order to endure the temptation in the desert, Jesus needed physical and spiritual strength. Do some physical activity today to build your strength and stamina.
Schedule a time to exercise as a family. Some ideas include:
•Bundle up and go for a walk outside.
•Do an easy exercise video together.
•Play a Simon Says exercise game.
•Make chore time exercise time by picking things up, vacuuming, scrubbing, etc. Set a time limit or make it a contest to see who finishes first. This not only gets the heart pumping, but also gets things done!
OTRAS IDEAS
Other Ideas
