Before he began his ministry, Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness. The trials he faced, along with his 40 days of fasting, are synonymous with the season of Lent.
Jesus was not alone in the desert. The devil was also with him, desperate to tempt Jesus into breaking away from his Father's will. Much like himself, Jesus' temptations were far from ordinary. He was asked to turn stone into bread, to jump from a great height and be rescued by angels, and to worship Satan for all the possessions of the world.
As Berenice so aptly put it, Jesus' temptations represent very real trials in our lives. Often we go out of our way to obtain things we think are necessary for our happiness; but Jesus, who was aching with hunger (YOU try fasting 40 days), refused to be swayed despite having the power to turn stone, not just into bread, but into a grand feast for himself. Don't ask God for more than you need; instead, be grateful for what you have and seek the Kingdom first in all that you do.
The second trial represents our tendency to test God's love for us. When situations seem hopeless, or when we want something we cannot get, we pray. Which is fine and dandy, except that a lot of us make 'deals' when we pray. "God, if you give me this, I'll do this and that..." Is that truly necessary? God asks nothing more from you than your faith and trust in His will, however dire a situation may seem. He doesn't need to 'prove' his love for us; we should know how much He already loves us. Jesus rebuked the devil: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." We should do well to remember those words.
Finally, the third temptation is one we've all faced: idol-worshipping. Wealth, power, fame. It is not just the obsession or the pursuit of it; how often have we treated a person better because they are richer, famous, or in a position of power and authority? God is the only being worthy of our worship, and Jesus reminds of this when he says, "You shall not have any other god except the Lord your God."
The way of Christ is not easy, but we know it is achievable because Jesus, who was as human as you and me, managed to do it. Isabel and Michael mentioned that perhaps Jesus had an unfair advantage; after all, he is the Son of God, and possessed the knowledge of what was to come. But very often, we, too, know the consequences of our actions. We can differentiate between right and wrong, so why do we still sin? It is our human inadequacies that prevent us from focusing on what is beyond the here and now, driving us to seek immediate gratification instead of long-term goals. This, I believe, is also a weakness that Jesus faced, and so brilliantly overcame.
So as Lent begins, let us all pray that the Spirit (which both we and Jesus have access to) will lead us on our road to salvation. Pax Vobiscum.
*Based on STAC Lenten Session I*
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