The First Sunday of Lent: Concupiscence

Here is a link to a Doctrinal Homily Outline for the First Sunday of Lent for Year B. The Gospel is Mark’s summary of Jesus’ experience in the desert and the beginning of His public ministry. The first reading recounts the Covenant God established with Noah and his descendants after the Flood. The second reading from 1 Peter connects that Deluge with the Sacrament of Baptism.

Doctrinally, the outline focuses on concupiscence, the ‘birth defect’ we are born with as a consequence of original sin.

• Concupiscence is inordinate desire, our inclination to sin (CCC 1254).
• Concupiscence comes from sin, leads to sin, is an evil, but is not itself a sin (CCC 2515).

The remedy for this defect is self-mastery, which is accomplished by God’s grace inspiring and assisting our own effort to do the right thing.