We Are Tested

 Matthew 4: 1-11

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Our First Sunday of Lent and fittingly we are fed with the story of the Temptations Jesus  faced in the desert, where he went to prepare for his mission..He sought clarity, strength, inspiration, courage, openness to his Father's will. The three temptations he faced remind us that we might easily be diverted from our Lenten goals, set only a few days ago.The Devil wants us as much as he wanted Jesus, and if Jesus faced questions about his purpose and mission, might we also face questions about our Lenten sacrifices?  Excuses arise easily and subtly, even convincingly..."You're doing too much...Cut back."  "Others aren't being so hard on themselves, why should you?"  The list of temptations is endless, but we have the example of Jesus to keep us strong and focused.  We have six weeks to go, let us daily affirm our Lenten commitment and ask Jesus, who overcame the Tempter, to help us refute him as well.

Bro. Rene

Almighty and ever-living God, as we step into this holy season of Lent, show us the way. Bless and guide our every effort that we might navigate the tempest of temptation. May our hungers, our ambitions, and our misguided affections not distract us from your promise and our purpose revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of your Son Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.

Rev. Bill Dorwart, C.S.C.