Free cheese always available in mouse traps.

Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation,

for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life 

that he promised to those who love him.

No one experiencing temptation should say,

"I am being tempted by God";

for God is not subject to temptation to evil,

and he himself tempts no one.

Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire.

Then desire conceives and brings forth sin,

and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters:

all good giving and every perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of lights,

with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.

He willed to give us birth by the word of truth

that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Welcome to Mardi Gras!  It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming the birth of Jesus and tomorrow we will begin our walk through the desert and join with Christ in his journey to Jerusalem and His trial and death on a cross.  

`

Jesus was subject to all of the temptations that we as human beings have to conquer.  James in our reading today is reminding us that the temptations do not come from a god that that takes delight in catching his creatures in doing wrong so that he can find ways to punish them.  No, the major source for all temptation is from the supply that we carry with us.  Our desires for pleasure, for comfort, for ease, and even justice.  

The inner us contains a treasury of things that we want for our own reasons.  Some of these things are natural and good.  We want food, drink, shelter, companionship and all of the things that keep the spark of our life from extinguishing prematurely and these things are good.  In that same treasury are things that are wanted just because they are wanted.  These things are born of our sinful nature and they make up the part of us that needs to be tamed, brought into line with what we know is actually good for us.  All things that we desire can be good.  For example, food is good, we need it to nourish our body and to keep it strong.  It also can be an evil in our life when it assumes the guise of a replacement for God.  Truly, a wonderful meal is a comfort for the soul, but when we make food almost a thing of worship, allowing it to take the place of God, well, then the best of the best might as well be made of worms because it is assuming a place of more importance in our life than it is entitled to.  

Sex too has its place in our life.  The conjugal act with our husband or wife is a thing of great beauty and joy, however, letting lust to run our lives and to act on all of the many thoughts that can come our way is also giving this gift of God a more important place in our life than it deserves. Of course, the misuse of sex outside of our marriage vows will eventually bring on problems of jealousy, hate, and even violence, and greed always travels as lust's faithful companion. 

So, on this Mardi Gras Tuesday as we prepare to start our Lenten journey, let us stop and audit ourselves.  Let us ask the Holy Spirit to come and reveal to us where we have strayed off of the path and make plans to work on making ourselves closer images as to what God wants us to be.  There is a very fine line between something being good and being sinful.  This Lenten season, let us resolve to make our forty day journey one of joy and hope and one that brings us not sorrow but joy and not restlessness but peace.  Let us  resolve to see the good in all things and to search out and find the good in others, especially in those who "rub us the wrong way."  Let us engage in acts of kindness that remain just between us and God.   This is so much better than "giving up something" for Lent.  

Lent means spring.  Of course, this year, Lent has come very early and at least where I live, there is a good chance that Easter Sunday will find us shoveling snow!  But because lent is spring, let us plant the seeds of happiness everywhere we go and watch as God waters them and they grow and make our world a much more beautiful place. 

Please remember the poor souls in purgatory.  They need your prayers.  They will appreciate whatever you do for them for all eternity.   Remember, where they are, you might someday be.