Sunday 1st
March 2020. Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7, Psalm 51, Romans 5:12-19 and Matthew 4:1-11.
_“Then
Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the
devil. 2 And he fasted forty days and
forty nights, and afterward he was hungry.” *(Matthew 4:1-2)*_
The
practice of Lent takes its origin from the forty days and forty nights Jesus
spent in the wilderness just before He began His public ministry. The whole
essence of Lent, therefore, is for us to journey with Jesus in the wilderness,
hence, it is fitting that on this first Sunday of Lent, we examine the
temptations of Jesus and its lessons for us.
*1. Why do
we Face Temptations?*
Matthew
tells us that “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by
the devil” thus giving the impression that the reason Jesus went to the
wilderness was just to experience these temptations. Can we say temptations are
necessary? Again, why did God plant the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden at
all when He as God knew that Adam and Eve could be tempted?
Asking if
the temptations are necessary is just like asking if examinations are necessary
for students in school. In other words, temptations are good for us in the
sense that they help us know where we really stand with God, they help us know
what our true convictions are and the depth of our knowledge and understanding
of God. If we must grow spiritually, we must face temptations.
It is easy
to boast about our love for God, our high moral standards, our holiness and so
on, but it is not until we successfully pass through temptations and come out
without falling that we actually know who we are. In the three temptations of Jesus,
we find a summary of all the temptations we face as humans which as St. John puts
it are: “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.” (1
John 2:16).
*2. How to
Overcome the Lust of the Flesh. (First Temptation).*
Jesus was
hungry, his body craved for food. Behold the devil said: “If you are the son of
God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Adam and Eve wandered
about the garden, they had tasted everything else but the forbidden tree. Behold
the devil came around saying: “You will not die…your eyes will be opened, you
will be like God, knowing good and evil.” In both instances, the devil sought
to use the lust of the flesh, that is, our natural bodily craving for carnal
satisfaction; fun, food, drinks, sweet things, sexual pleasure and other
material comforts.
As St.
Paul puts it: “The works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity,
licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger,
selfishness, dissension, party spirit,
envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you
before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God…. Those
who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires.” (Galatians 5:19- 24). Adam and Eve fell because they could not resist
the urge to satisfy their flesh but Jesus was willing to crucify the flesh (to
deny himself), despite his legitimate hunger. The lust of the flesh is usually
the first temptation, it is our basic temptation as humans.
The secret
of overcoming the lust of the flesh is to be grounded in the word of God. In
the case of Adam and Eve, the devil twisted the word (instruction, command) of
God making them believe God did not really say they were not to eat of any tree
they wanted. Meanwhile, Jesus overcame by pointing out the importance of the
word of God: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes
from the mouth of God.” In this way, Jesus undid the mistake of Adam and Eve as
St. Paul explains in today’s second reading. This was truly a great victory.
Make God’s word a priority and you will find the strength to overcome your flesh.
*3. How to
Overcome the Pride of Life (Second Temptation).*
Somehow,
we all long to lord it over others; we long to make ourselves gods in the eyes
of others; we want people to praise us, clap for us and even worship us. We all
crave for power. The devil sought to exploit this particular human trait when
he took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and asked him to jump down so that
people would see it and think Jesus came down from heaven.
The devil even
went as far as quoting the Bible to convince Jesus. It is interesting to note that
in all of these three temptations, the devil was trying to make Jesus misuse
His power as God in human flesh. Just as Jesus would not use his power
selfishly to turn stones to bread, Jesus refused to use his power to draw
praise and attention to himself. This explains why Jesus warned those he healed
not to broadcast it. Jesus never sought the applause of people unlike our
modern-day healers (miracle workers) who even ascribe all the glory to
themselves. (One said recently that he is going to China to destroy the
coronavirus).
Jesus knew
how wonderful it would be to be praised by people yet Jesus realized that by
jumping down, He would be putting God to the test. He said to the devil: “You
shall not tempt the Lord Your God.” The secret of overcoming this temptation is
prayer. This is because prayer reminds us of our nothingness before God, it
helps us to humble ourselves and conquer our pride. Also, prayer helps us
develop a deep trust in God such that we no longer need God to prove Himself to
us by signs and wonders.
*4. How to
Overcome the Lust of the Eyes. (Third Temptation).*
The devil then
showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, the palatial mansions, lands, cars,
gold and silver, in short, all the beautiful things in this world saying they
would be given to Jesus so long as he worships the devil. Think of the many
lies we tell, the figures we falsify, the various ways we steal, the evils we
do and so on just to become rich, just to show off in the best, the latest and
the cosiest.
St. John
calls these things the lust of the eyes because they are simply for the
looking, they never bring us any true satisfaction deep within. No wonder Adam
Smith describes the human creature as an insatiable being. We just can’t get
enough of this world’s riches.
The secret
of overcoming this temptation is making God our priority, seeking first God’s
kingdom and its righteousness, worshipping God and not the things created by
God. Very often, we fall for this temptation because we make money, riches and
fancy things our gods. Jesus said to Satan, “You shall worship the Lord your
God, and him only shall you serve.”
*Conclusion
(Use the Three Keys of Lent).*
While
prayer helps to check our pride, fasting helps us control the flesh and
almsgiving prevents us from being carried away by the desire for riches. Above
all, use this season of Lent to improve your study of the word of God. Be alert
to temptations. Be on your guard and be quick to call on God for help whenever
you feel lured or enticed to sin.
Let us
Pray: Lord Jesus, endow me with the grace to overcome temptations. Amen.
Be Happy.
Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (First Sunday of
Lent. Year A. Bible Study: Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7, Psalm 51, Romans 5:12-19 and
Matthew 4:1-11).
Who painted the image, please?
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