THE SEASON OF LENT
The gospel on the First Sunday of Lent is about our Lord’s forty days in the desert before he began his public ministry. We remember what happens to him while he is in the desert; he is tempted by Satan. We have a tendency to only think negatively about temptation. For us, we often equate temptation with sin or at least that it eventually leads to sin. I want to reflect on temptation and what it means for our spiritual life as disciples of the Lord in today’s world.
We believe that Jesus was born into our world and became like us in all things but sin. Therefore, temptation is not sin, because Jesus was tempted in the desert but did not sin. The word temptation comes from the Latin verb “temptare”, which has various meanings including “to test”. In this sense of the word, temptation is a spiritual testing. In being tempted in the desert, Jesus was tested by Satan. Jesus resisted the temptation and did not sin. Our Lord passed the test. One of the reasons we equate temptation with sin is due to the fact that we frequently fail the test. For us, temptation too often does lead to sin. But our Lord’s time in the desert shows us that temptation does not have to end in sin. Temptation can be a moment to reject sin and to stand strong before God. If temptation is a spiritual testing, it is always possible for us to pass the test.
Where was our Lord tested? It was in the desert, a place where one has little to nothing. There are no comforts in the desert, no easy supply of food or water, and no other people offer help when needed. The desert is a place where one’s only companion is God. The desert is a place where one must rely on God and God alone. Therefore, relying on God is the key to resisting temptation. If we rely on ourselves, we will fail the test. But if we pray for God’s assistance and if we avail ourselves of God’s grace, it becomes possible for us to stand firm like our Lord in the desert and resist temptation when it comes our way. If we learn to rely on God, we can surely pass the test.
We all know from our days in school what it means to be tested. We also learned that the best way to pass a test is to be prepared for the exam. We needed to study hard before the test so that we could meet the challenge and do well. This is one of the reasons we have the Season of Lent each year in the Church. Lent is a time for preparing ourselves for moments of spiritual testing. In Lent, we engage in traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. They are not ends in and of themselves, but means to strengthen us spiritually. These are practices that help us to rely more on God than us ourselves and our possessions. They are ways we prepare ourselves spiritually for when we are tested by temptation.
We may be weak, but God is strong. What may seem impossible for us is not impossible for God. So let us take advantage of this Season of Lent to deepen our relationship with God. Let us try to be mindful that we must learn to rely on God for our blessings, wellbeing and strength. If we can do that, then with the help of God’s grace we can pass the test when temptation comes our way. We can become the men and women of faith we truly desire to be.
易唯誠神父
