Reflecting on Today’s Readings: 

Genesis 2:7–9; 3:1–7 ; Romans 5:12–19 ; Matthew 4:1–11

Temptation is the Enemy’s way of tricking us into forgetting our own human dignity-Satan wants nothing more than for us to forget that we are uniquely made in the image and likeness of God, and that that same God loves us more than we can imagine. That’s why, in the Garden of Eden, Satan tempts Eve “to become like God.”

The Devil tries to convince us that we aren’t good enough, that there might be something about us that God doesn’t love. But being made in the image and likeness of our Creator, nothing can make us any more valuable than we already are to our God; our inherent dignity couldn’t be any greater!

Reminded, then, that we are each made in God’s image, imbued with sacredness and dignity, we are called to mission, to go out and build God’s kingdom in the here and now-“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And as we reflect on this week’s CRS Rice Bowl featured country, Kenya, we catch a glimpse of God’s mission at work.

In Kariobangi, Kenya, we meet a community that is rallying together to develop employment opportunities-a means to provide for local families. Pope John Paul II reminded us in his great encyclical, Laborem Exercens, of the importance of human work, that in working, we are again mirroring our creator God who, before resting on the Sabbath, labored for six days.

Empowering individuals to work and enabling them to provide for their friends, families and communities respects and uplifts their human dignity-whether in Kenya, or wherever people strive.