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1.Genesis
2,7-9; 3,1-7
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Romans 5:
12-19
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Mt 4:1-11
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"
Am I strong enough to resist and fight temptations?"
There is a close
similarity between African lion and the wild cat, despite of their
similarities, yet they differ. We have got an ancient African theory that can
explain this difference in this way. The lioness gives birth to numerous cubs
some of which are truly lions at heart
and some of which are not. How does the mother lion know which is which? Months
after the birth of the cubs, just before they are weaned, the mother lion
leaves the den and then, in an unsuspecting moment, she jumps into the den with
a thundering roar as if she was an enemy attacking the cubs. Some of the cubs
stand up and fight back the presumed enemy while others flee the den with their
tails in between the legs. The cubs that hold their ground to face the danger
prove themselves to be real lions. Those that run away prove to be a mere wild
cats, false lions. As testing distinguish true lions from the false so also does
it prove true Christians from false ones.
In our today's gospel
we see Jesus subjected to test in the desert. He stands his ground and gives
the enemy a good fight, thus showing that he is truly the Son of God.
Immediately before the Temptations of Jesus, Matthew has the story of the
baptism of Jesus in which a heavenly voice declared to him: "This is my
beloved son with whom I am well pleased."( Mt3:17). As he leaves the
baptismal waters of Jordan to embark on his public ministry as the anointed Son
of God he had to go through the test. No child of God can go without trials,
because this is the means to distinguish between a true and a false child of
God. As Ben Sirach advises, " My
child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing" (
Sirach 2:1).
Let us understand the
difference between the following words; test, trial and temptation. The fact, however, is that testing or trial
or temptation are one and the same thing. In fact they all translate the same
Greek word, Peirasmos. When we see the situation is coming from God, who
would like us to pass the test, we call it a test or trial. And when we see it
as coming from the evil one who would like us to fail, we call it temptation.
However, both trials and temptations are experienced by us in exactly the same
way: as the situation where the principle of evil( the devil) and the principle of good( the Holy Spirit)
in us are vying for our allegiance and whichever one we decide for wins and
becomes the master of our lives until we can reverse the decision.
In the gospel today, we
hear that Jesus is being given three tests. The first one, to turn stones into
breads, this 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. In this context St. Paul challenges us that the spiritual gifts are
given to the individual " for the
common good" (1Corinthians12:7). Jesus would later on his ministry
multiply breads to feed others. But he would not do it to feed himself. On our
part do we see our talents and abilities, our jobs and professions, as a means
to serve others or simply as a means to make living for ourselves?
Likewise, 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"(
psalm90/91:11). Though Jesus fully believes the word of God he would not put
God to the test. This contrasts sharply with the case of one college student
who claimed he was born again and to prove it before others he jumped into the
lions cage in the zoo because the Bible promises that nothing can ever harm
God's children. May be today his soul is in heaven 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 worshiping 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 and end more glorious than that offered by the devil:
" All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me" ( Matthew 28:18).
Dear brothers and
sisters as we celebrate the first Sunday of Lent, let us realize that as God's
children we too are under constant testing. If you do not know it, then try to
answer these questions: Will you keep believing in God whether or not you get
that one thing you have always been praying
for? Would you still believe that God loves you or your loved one
contracted a shameful disease that has no cure, and God does not give him/her
healing in spite of all your prayers? Do you sometimes put God to the test and
say: " If you do this for me, then I will serve you, but if not, I will
have nothing more do to with you." Jesus shows us today that to serve God
is to surrender ourselves to Him unconditionally and in all situations.
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Chapisha Maoni