Today's Reflections
The Temptation of Jesus
Lk 4:1-13
1Filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert 2for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. 3The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ” 5Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. 6The
devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and their glory;
for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I
wish. 7All this will be yours, if you worship me.” 8Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written:/ ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God,/ and him alone shall you serve.’ ”/
9Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet
of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw
yourself down from here, 10for it is written:/ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’/ 11and:/ ‘With their hands they will support you,/ lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”/ 12Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’ ” 13When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
Reflection:
To be tempted by the devil.
The Gospel reminds us that life on earth, especially the Lenten season,
is a time of struggle against the devil and temptation. Jesus is led by
the Spirit to the desert to be tempted by the devil. Our first parents
were tempted, and they failed. Israel was tested in the desert, and she
failed. Jesus is tempted and he wins! He is tempted in all things as we
are, but he does not sin (cf Heb 2:18).
If
we want to win against inevitable temptations, we must go to Jesus and
remain with Jesus. Alone, we are no match for the devil and temptations.
But with Jesus, no devil or temptation is strong enough against us.
Jesus
uses God’s word as his weapon to counter the devil’s temptations. The
word of God, Paul says, is the sword of the Spirit (cf Eph 6:17).
Live the word of God
and help others use it against temptation.
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