First Sunday of Lent February 26, 2023
Readings: Genesis
2:7-9, 16-18, 25; 3:1-7; Romans
5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11
The passage from the Gospel of Matthew tells us of the
victory of Jesus over the evil one in the desert. Led by the Spirit Jesus went
into the wilderness, where he prayed and fasted for forty days. He was tempted three times and he resisted
all the three temptations coming from the devil. These temptations indicate the victory of
Jesus as he is told to be unfaithful to his mission. Matthew presents Jesus as the New Israel now
in the desert. The Old Israel was tempted in the desert and failed but the new
Israel came out victorious. The episode is the explanation of human temptations
and with the grace of God we too can be triumphant in our battle against evil.
Satan attempted to get Jesus to put his own needs and
potential concerns above the will of His Father. He wanted Jesus to act
independently of the Father. He wanted Jesus to sacrifice His secure future for
the present. Jesus met Satan’s challenge by trusting His Father to do all
things in His time, in His way, and with His result!
Very often, we are concerned supremely about the present. We
are tempted to sacrifice our principles for a short-term gain. Satan powerfully
lures us into this trap. Instead of giving in, we can follow the example of
Jesus in overcoming temptation through trust in God.
Remember that Jesus had just been baptized in water. He was
a young man and was ready to embark on His public ministry. Satan sought to
destroy His ministry. Satan often tempts people when they are beginning to do
something for God. He tries to derail God’s servants before they can accomplish
His purpose.
There are three temptations: The first one, to turn stones
into bread. I think it has to do with how we use our God-given gifts, talents
and abilities. The temptation is for us to use our gifts to make a living for
ourselves. But Paul tells us that spiritual gift are given to the individual
“for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). Jesus would later on in his
ministry multiply bread to feed others. But he would not do it to feed himself.
Do we see our talents and abilities, our jobs and professions, as a means to
serve others or simply as a means to make a living for ourselves?
In the second test Jesus is tempted to prove that he is
God’s son by jumping from the pinnacle of the Temple and letting the angels
catch him as was promised in the Scripture: “For he will command his angels
concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you
up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone” (Psalm 90/91:11).
Though Jesus fully believes the word of God, he would not put God to the test.
This contrasts sharply with the case of a college student in Nigeria who
claimed that he was born again and to prove it he jumped into the lion’s cage
in the zoo because the Bible promises that nothing can ever harm God’s children.
Maybe his soul is in heaven today but his body provided a special lunch for the
hungry lions that day.
In the third temptation the devil promises Jesus all the
kingdoms of the earth if only Jesus would worship him. Jesus wants the whole
world to acknowledge him, of course, but would he achieve that by worshipping a
false god? Can we pursue our goals by any means whatsoever? Does the end
justify the means? Jesus says no. He remains steadfast and faithful to God,
rejecting the short-cuts offered by the devil. In the end he attains an end
more glorious than that offered by the devil: “All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).
In fact, these three tests are really symbols of real tests
that we find in the life of Jesus. In reality all of the temptations can be
summed up as temptations to power, pride and glory. The first temptation
demanded that miraculous power be used to provide for basic material needs. The
second temptation demanded that Divine power be used to produce a spectacular "sign"
that would compel anyone to believe, leading to pride. The third temptation
demanded the use of Divine power to establish a worldly Kingdom of God and
secure glory. All the three Temptations
can be summarized briefly as a suggestion of short cut by the Satan to be
unfaithful to the call and mission of the Father.
Lent is a time of grace. It is a time to examine and revisit
ourselves. It is a time to see if we have lived our baptismal promises. The first
promises are:
V. Do you reject Satan?
R. I do.
V. And all his works?
R. I do.
V. And all his empty promises?
R. I do.
What is my answer today?
Article on Lent on Daijiworld: Click here
Happy Sunday
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