Deuteronomy 26: 4- 10; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13
Sometimes we feel that if the Holy Spirit leads us, He will always be “besides peaceful stream” (Ps. 23:2) Not necessarily true.
The Spirit led Jesus into the desert for a long and difficulty time of testing. He may also lead us in difficult situations. Lent is not just a time of pious practices of penance or social work, but it should be a time of life renewal in the spirit. It is a time to allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit. It is a time of grace, of purification, of reorganizing our life and mission according to the dictates and inspiration of the Spirit.
St Paul says, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1Thes.5:19) and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph.4:30).
Lent is God’s time. We see this in the readings for today. It is a time when we are reminded that we are but dust of the earth and there is nothing we can do to win our salvation. It is a pure gift from God.
Lent also warns us not to try to force God’s hand. Like Jesus in the wilderness, we are to allow God’s plan to unfold in and through us. Lent is a time for us to enter actively into the mysteries of the death and resurrection of Jesus and there to marvel at what God has done for us.
The spirit led Jesus to the desert to get his goals right. Secondly, he had to purify his motives and thirdly, he had to decide what means to use. Hence, he embarked on a programme of prayer, reflection and fasting.
Why was it necessary for Jesus to be tempted?
My dear people of God, temptation is part of human experience. For Jesus to be fully human, for him to understand us completely, He has to face temptation. (Heb 4:15) Jesus has to undo Adam’s work. (Romans 5:12-19)
The devil tempted Him to display divine power. “If you are the son of God …” This foreshadows the ultimate struggles that Jesus will under go on the cross, where he hears the mocking words: “save yourself if you are the son of God and come down from the cross.” He didn’t give up – He does not use His divine power for His own benefit.
By refusing to transform the stone into bread, Jesus emphasizes the primary purpose of his mission – thus, to take care of the hunger for the word of God among the people. “One does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt.4:4)
By refusing to bow down before the devil to receive the earthly power, Jesus reaffirms the one true God as the center of his life. In fact, at the hour of His passion, He said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John18:36).
Jesus’ temptation reminds us that we are not alone when we face our own temptations. Let us invite God into our experience of temptation, so that filled with the Holy Spirit, we may be strengthen to follow the path of Christ.
Fr. Alex Osei
SSC-USA Spiritual Director