A Few Words On "The Word"

March 5, 2006
The First Sunday of Lent

Mark 1: 12-15

Whats Tempting?

Ever notice how ads and TV shows talk about "temptation"? Usually, in a light-hearted, almost joking way: double fudge brownies are a "sweet temptation," but hey! Company A has just created a low-calorie, high-taste version that you can eat without guilt! No harm done here as long as we baptized people remember two things.

First: Real temptation is serious stuff. It's deeper than extra calories or too many pairs of jeans. It's about hurting yourself and hurting others, which ends up hurting God. Second: Baptized, confirmed, nourished with the eucharist, we can handle temptation; we can beat it and help others beat it, too. We can stop hurting ourselves, each other, and God.

Jesus is tempted as he prepares to begin his work as a peacebuilder. And we're not talking brownies. No, Jesus is tempted by nothing less than pure evil itself, Satan! The gospels of Matthew and Luke tell us specifically what Satan tempts Jesus with: Check out Matthew 4: 1-11 and Luke 4: 1-13, if you're, well, ummm, tempted. ;) But this is the year of Mark, and Mark 1: 13 simply understates, "Jesus remained in the desert for 40 days, tempted by Satan."

Maybe Jesus is tempted to think he's not good enough to do what he is beginning to hear God call him to do. Tempted to think that he's not (pick all that apply): (a) smart enough; (b) strong enough; (c) thin enough; (d) built enough; (e) zitless enough; (f) popular enough ... . (g) whatever enough or whatever too much! And thinking any of this, maybe Jesus is tempted to quit his work as a peacebuilder before he even begins.

Cuz that's the only way that Satan can win. The only way that temptations beat us is if they stop us from trying to be/do all the good that God has made us to be and do.

Sure, there'll be more and more temptations along the way. That's why we pray, "Lead us not into temptation." (A better translation is "Save us from the time of trial." God will never lead us into temptation-that's the devil's job.) But as long as we are working at it, as long as we are trying, God will help us and we'll love better and better. The "wild beasts" -maybe these represent temptations-won't harm us. And just like with Jesus, God will send all kinds to angels to help us.

Reflection Question

We're told little about Jesus in his teen-aged years, but what do you imagine tempted him as a teen-ager?

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