Temptation Galore

First Sunday of Lent
February 24-25, 2007
Reading I: Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Responsorial Psalm: 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
Reading II: Romans 10:8-13
Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

A temptation is an act that looks appealing to an individual. It is usually used to describe acts with negative connotations and as such, tends to lead a person to regret such actions as a result of guilt. Temptation also describes the coaxing or inducing a person into commiting such an act, by manipulation or otherwise of curiosity, desire or fear of loss. In other words, we understand temptation as something that attracts, especially with the promise of pleasure or reward.

Temptation in Christian understanding is not sin itself. It is when we entertains temptation that we commit sin. So the best remedy to avoid sin is to avoid the occasion of temptation. We say it is every we pray the Our Father, “Lead us not into temptation.”

Temptations often appear beautiful, promising and rewarding.

I remember a in the seminary said in his homily. We have to be aware with the voices of the devil when we are tempted: "No one can see you. Nobody will know. It will not cause you any harm. Everyone is doing it anyway. You are not alone. So, do it now!"

When we hear any of these four, we know we are being tempted. What we do is to flee as soon as possible. Everyone is tempted. No one can escape the temptation of the devil, even Jesus was tempted but did not sin.

Three Temptations

Quite naturally the First Sunday of Lent starts out with the temptations of Christ in the desert. Why naturally? Because Lent is a time to take off the blinders of sin and prepare to listen truly during Holy Week. Jesus models this kind of listening in the Gospel.
The temptations of devil to Jesus corresponds to three P's:

• First, “command this stone to become bread.” Power
• Second, the devil showed the kingdom of the world, “I shall give you this power and glory.” Prestige
• Third, “throw yourself down from here on the parapet of the temple.” Position

Every temptation Jesus has a direct answer: (1) One does not live on bread alone. (2) You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve. (3) You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.

At the end the devil got exhausted and he left.

If we look more deeply on the temptations, and try how we can identify ourselves with those, we will find that all three are really variations on the one temptation not to be totally trusting. Jesus is also human being like us. When tempted he chose to trust God, our loving Father. In each trial, Jesus showed that he was the faithful Son who refused to succumb to the attraction of power, prestige and position. Satan was defeated and retreated until the final test when Jesus conquered evil on the cross.

Lent: Invitation to the desert

Lenten season is an invitation for us to follow Jesus in his dessert experience so that we can trust God more than ever when temptations and trials face us --- when our financial situation was very precaurious; we had a succession of failures in our work; when our children are causing us problems; when there is no peace in our family

The next 40 plus days we are all invited to have a changed of heart in order for us to put our trust and confidence in God. Also, Lenten season is a time of penance to avoid temptations. During this season we are asked to devote more time in prayer, to engage ourselves in works of piety and charity, and to self-denial by devoting our time and resources for other people.

Prayer
Jesus, Lenten work begins. Take us to a place of quiet.Exercise our souls. Correct our sagging, wild, sluggish spirits.Give us spiritual muscles, and docile quick faith.Let us come forth from the desert filled with your Holy Spirit.Let our every action Be rooted in your Spirit’s stirrings in our souls.