Luke 4:1-13

After his baptism Jesus faces temptations, such as the allure of power, wealth and fame. Just like us He faced these temptations. He is keenly aware of the devil's false promises and schemes, despite this he remains calm in the face of danger, and overcomes the temptations with maturity and wisdom. He shows us clearly who God is and who God is not. 

In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus rely on the Word of God to guide and strengthen him. He engages in a biblical battle with the devil, a reminder that anyone can quote the Bible to achieve their own ends. Jesus shows that daily immersion in Scripture enables us to discern God’s authentic voice and reject the rebellious guidance of the tempter. Jesus teaches us that the Bible always informs our spiritual behavior, our heart’s faithfulness, and our dependence on God, who needs no rest because He is always present. Jesus’ response reminds us of God’s constancy, that His presence is not only found in earthly splendor but also in the heart of the righteous. Therefore, reading the Bible with a prayerful attitude every day during Lent to gain spiritual nourishment and guidance for daily actions will be the first lesson we learn from Jesus today. 

Jesus unmasks the false allure of believing in a God who would prove divine love by acting like an indulgent parent, giving in to our every desire. Satisfying all our wishes and desires without discrimination is the stupidest thing we can do. Or, when we pray unrealistically, or when we do not receive the grace we asked for and we complain to God or give up prayer or faith, it is a lack of understanding and misunderstanding of God. All of us need to continue learning to discern which desires are intentional and nourishing to our spiritual life and which are toxic. 

Jesus also exposes the lie of believing that God’s power manifests in worldly empires or in manipulating natural laws. He answers the devil that God does not send misfortune to test us, nor does He respond to “tests” we set to prove God’s benevolent nature. God is not a sadistic puppeteer playing with us to see if we will stand firm in the faith. God constantly pulls us into the mystery of divine love, especially in the most trying moments.

In life we will all face the temptation to seek power to place ourselves at the center of our world and to worship the false gods of wealth, fame and power. In themselves none of these things are bad, they only become bad when they are self serving and we neglect the weakest in our Society and our Community. If we truly want to enter into the Lenten Season, let us seek the grace to become less self severing and more giving of ourselves to the Community and especially those on the margins of our Society.

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