Richard Bode in his book First you have to row a little boat wrote: ‘the day will come when I will die. So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time. I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze’. How do you plan to raise your spiritual sails this Lent to embark on a life-changing journey with Jesus? Jesus went to the desert to prepare his boat [mission to transform the world] to set the sail in the waters of human life to lead us to the shore of the kingdom of God. He was getting ready to become love for the world. The temptations of the Devil could not stop him! Human temptations often try to defeat love and glorify power, what wealth can buy and feed the ego self. Gospel takes us to the 40 years of desert experience of the people of Israel, then entering into the promised land. Jesus was living this experience of his people to bring all to the kingdom of God/promised land of salvation.
Desert/Lent is a place/time of discernment; the devil is forces that oppose Christ and his kingdom. God sustained the people of Israel in the desert with food [manna] and Moses taught them to trust in God. Jesus, Son of God has the power to turn stone into bread; Jesus the Messiah does not rely on his power but he trusts the Father and follows his will. Jesus did not have to prove himself to the devil; he wouldn’t gain anything by yielding to the devil-devil has no power to give anything to enrich human life. Human beings should act within the powers given to them, do not test God, his love, providence present in life. God is not servant of human beings, not a robot; God’s action is free gift of grace; loving surrender to God should be human response. Yielding to temptation is called [peirasmos], estrangement from God, apostasy or abandoning faith by moving in ungodly circles. Devil’s true intention was revealed in the third temptation, Devil saying to Jesus, ‘you worship me’. Jesus gives a command, ‘be gone satan’; here we see Jesus using his own power. In Jesus’ name we defeat temptations that divide and destroy us, families and personal lives.
Satan is called the accuser, who tests or tempts! The temptation is to choose what the world offers and forget about what God represents. We chose Jesus in our baptism, life in Christ; Lent asks, are we growing? We are earthly but there is a divine character in us; we are special but many temptations control our minds and we do not feel that we are image of God. God keeps reminding us this truth that we may not give up when trials choke life. Many lose their peace thinking about what others have and what they don’t have! the temptation to satisfy every need by control and money destroys relationships, peace. God, faith becomes and obstacle when one pursues unrealistic ambitions; abandon God, you will be happy is Satan’s test! Lent invites us to embrace the ordinariness of life, appreciate the gifts you have, grow them with gratitude and know that like snow and rain that fertile the ground, God’s grace would nourish your growth. Lent reminds us that Satan remains defeated by Jesus; it is time to reverse what drag us into negative thinking and living; I must change my life. Lenten Journey with Jesus is about loving and giving, experiencing healing, freedom, peace and joy!