1st Sunday of Lent
Cycle A
March 8-9,
2014 7:30 and 9:00am
Saint Margaret Parish, Bel
Air
The Temptation to
Sin
So, Jesus
is tempted to sin.
This is
a very dramatic event. If Jesus can be
tempted to sin, by all means, we can also be tempted.
I am
thinking that the three ways Jesus is tempted are very fundamental ways that we
can also be led to sin. If we drill down
a bit into each of these, I think we can find some very common, universal
challenges.
First: Hunger for
More
We are
first told that Jesus is hungry and that the devil tempts him to change stone
into bread.
The
deeper issue I see here is the hunger itself.
We all have hunger – and I don’t mean just physical hunger – we all have
hunger and desire within us.
We want
more, more of what we have, or more by getting something we don’t have. It is so easy to get lured by advertising into
thinking that this hunger or desire can be satisfied by more and more things.
Better
food or more of it, a new car, nicer furniture, a bigger home, the latest-styled
clothes, the most up-to-date i-Phone or Android, and on it goes. All of these things are good in themselves,
but they never satisfy us.
And
they don’t because God in the act of creation planted this hunger or desire
within us and it will only be satisfied by God.
It will only be satisfied as we grow in our inner relationship with God
and as we become more compassionate, understanding, patient, and life-giving
persons.
So
Jesus’ temptation is a very real temptation for us. We too need to say: “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from
the mouth of God.”
Second: Expect No
Pain
Next
Jesus is led to the roof of the temple and the devil tempts him to jump off.
Surely
God will protect him from getting hurt.
The deeper issue I see here is expecting God to protect us from all pain.
In
other words, do we see faith as something like an insurance policy? If I have faith, and if I come to Mass, and
if I try to obey the commandments, then surely God will take care of me.
I will
be protected from sickness and losing my job and automobile accidents and
family upheaval and all the rest. But,
as Jesus responds here, we are not to expect God to exempt us from all struggle
and suffering.
Sadly, they
are usually part of being human. But,
the good news is that faith helps us to deal with all of this and enables us even
to grow through all of this to be more like Jesus – who also suffered.
So Jesus’
temptation is again a very real temptation for us. We too need to say: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
Third: Get My Own
Way
Finally,
we are told that the devil takes Jesus up on a high mountain and offers him
power over all the kingdoms of the world.
The
deeper issue I see here is our use of power.
We are tempted to want things our way sometimes at all costs.
We are
tempted to use our strong personality to muscle others. Or we are tempted to manipulate others with
guilt or half-truths.
And
when we do this, we are in effect worshipping ourselves and making ourselves
the center of everything. In contrast,
Jesus is humble and shows the power of a certain vulnerability with
others.
His way
is one of respect for others, regardless of who they are or what they have
done. His way is one of conversation and
not coercion.
So Jesus’
temptation is again a very real temptation for us. We too need to say: “The Lord your God shall you worship, and him alone shall you serve.”
Conclusion
So, these
three temptations of Jesus are probably universal human temptations. Maybe they can provide good food for our examination
of conscience during these six weeks of Lent.
