Here we are at the first stage of our climb! Our guide, Jesus, knows us well… He knows that to take the path that leads to our hearts, we must first and foremost give ourselves time, space, and a little silence. That is the purpose of an excursion, isn’t it… to get away from it all for a while.
Perhaps that is why, on this first Sunday of Lent, on this journey to our hearts, the liturgy offers us this text from Matthew 4:1-11.
“ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil … ”
From the moment of his baptism in the Jordan, Jesus sets out for the desert… that is, to an uninhabited, unfamiliar place. But be careful, he does not go there alone; he is led there by the Spirit. The first important point is that in order to know what dwells in the depths of our hearts, we must be accompanied by the Holy Spirit, as Jesus was. The Holy Spirit will prevent us from getting lost in the twists and turns of our hearts, from going down the wrong path, or from becoming discouraged.
What does it mean to be tempted by the devil?
The devil is the one who divides us, who confuses our hearts to the point that we can no longer see clearly. He tests us when he sows doubt in us to the point that we no longer trust anyone. He distances us from who we really are and sows discord between us and even in our relationship with God. He is very clever and manipulates us by fascinating us in order to sneak into our hearts.
Tempted by three traps…
The temptation or trial that Jesus will experience presents us with the three traps that the human heart will have to learn to detect. The three temptations that Jesus will experience are those that He will face throughout His public life in order to be truly faithful to who He is as the Son of God and to His mission to bring about the Kingdom of God through Love.
The temptations are:
– Choosing security by accumulating possessions for oneself: “ If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread. ”
– Seeking power and omnipotence, even if illusory, over others, in the family, at work, in the world. “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, and with their hands they will support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”
– Wanting to occupy the first places, to desire glory for oneself, in other words, to become the center of everything. “Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence.”
During the week, I take time to step aside and “take up to my heart.” With the help of the Holy Spirit, I try to recognize how I am tempted and how this influences my life, my choices, and my relationships. I ask Jesus to enlighten me so that I can make the right choices that will lead me, like Him, to the path of life and love.
Sr. Louise Madore, DW
Province of Canada
Source photo : Pixabay
