Mt: 4:1-11
The first Sunday of the Lent invites us to the desert experience of Jesus. Jesus was fully human and fully divine. He also had to encounter the moments of temptation like any of us. None of us can completely get rid of this reality of our life. At times we tend to think that at the peak of our spiritual experience we may not encounter such fragile moments in our life. Anyhow the experience of Jesus teaches us that it can come to our life at any season of life. Jesus focused himself on prayer and fasting for forty days. At that time the tempter comes to Jesus. Now we may think that if temptations can happen any time then what is the purpose of prayer?
The experience of Jesus itself is the best answer on this regard. First and foremost Jesus faced all these temptations not depending on his strength rather he encountered these fragile moments with the assistance of the Word of God. How are we going to encounter these fragile moments? At times we try to rely on psychological aids, changing our thought pattern, channeling our thoughts, etc. I am not telling that these means are not effective, however, when we have the most powerful means on this entire universe – ‘the Word of God,’ how much are we applying it in these moments?
Before analyzing the nature of temptations let us reflect on the attitude of Jesus in these fragile moments. After forty days of intense prayer and fasting, he was physically and mentally tired; however, Jesus did not consider his tiredness, as a way for giving in to temptations. In Jesus we see a person who tries to remain in his Father’s love by all means, with his full strength and effort, relying on the power of the Word of God. We too resist temptations; however, if we rely only on our strength then after a while we feel so fragile and give up our resistance and fall into temptation.
Now let us reflect on the nature of all the three forms of temptation that Jesus had. It is quite interesting to note that in the first two temptations the tempter says to Jesus “if you are the Son of God…” the tempter trying to question the identity of Jesus. He knew very well that Jesus is the Son of God. He wanted Jesus to deny his humanity by working this miracle of changing a stone into bread and fill his stomach. At that moment Jesus strengthens the fallen humanity saying: “one does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” We see the same temptation when Jesus is on the cross: “You who would destroy the temple and built it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”(Mt. 27:40) Jesus remained on the cross because he is the Son of God.
Again the second temptation the tempter wanted Jesus to prove his divinity by throwing himself down from Jerusalem temple. A temptation to doubt the existence of God whether He works at the crucial juncture of our life. Jesus makes him clear that his faith is beyond the sign seeking and it based on the absolute trust in His Abba.
The third temptation is something unique that promises Jesus the entire world nonetheless he should pay homage to the tempter. Here the tempter does not consider Jesus as Son of God because the entire cosmos belong to God but here the tempter who is the eternal liar points to him the material wealth and asks Jesus to adore him. Jesus reminds him that there is only one God and worship belongs to him. I believe quite many of our brethren facing this temptation in our times, for wealth and fame, they deny God and consider the tempter as their Lord and Master. They will be receiving the popularity and wealth that they seek. We came from God and are destined to get back to him. Being with God forever is the greatest wealth that we can have.
Finally, what was the purpose of prayer and fasting if temptation can come to our way at any time? We read the Spirit of the Lord led him to the desert. The Spirit, the constant guide of our life journey inspired Jesus to undertake this intense prayer and fasting that he could withstand these moments of temptations depending on the word of God that provides spiritual food for our sustenance.
As we are on the first Sunday of the lent let us examine our lives and recognize we do not live by bread alone but the words come from God, let us grow into a faith beyond the need of signs and continue to love the Lord with all our strength and might…