Temptations are a regular part of our lives. When I was still living in Macquarie Fields, five days a week, I’d go out in the morning and take an hour walk.

In John’s Gospel, this is what Jesus said to Martha as she was grieving the death of her brother Lazarus. 

The gospel story for today begins with an interesting question: the disciples ask: has the man who was born blind sinned (and thus caused his own blindness) or have his parents sinned?  Jesus answers “neither”.

Many years ago, I was watching a TV show about newly wedded husband and wives. It was a fun show about how do you know your partner. They would have questions like, “What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?” “What’s your favourite footy team?”

The desert was a symbol of deep significance for the Israelites as well as for early Christians.

The call to be born again during Lent is all about our willingness and openness to recognise the goodness, the giftedness, the God and Jesus presence in the minds and hearts of our neighbour, writes Fr Michael Knight SVD.

During Lent then we are all called to die to our old selves so that a new self and a new community can be born.

As you receive this edition of In the Word, we have just entered into the season of Lent, a time which calls us especially to look at how we can become closer to God and to our neighbour.

This is an important time of reflection and action for all Christians – a time of taking spiritual stock – and for us, as Divine Word Missionaries, it is a time to dig deep and consider afresh how we are meeting the needs of those we are called to accompany and serve.

Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem, just days before He was to be crucified.

There was a priest who got assigned to a new parish. While listening to  confessions of the people, he noticed that a lot of them confessed that they “fell off the bridge”.

The temptations of Jesus in the desert is the theme for this Sunday. We’ve well and truly begun the season of Lent.