Reading I: Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Reading II: Romans 10:8-13
GOSPEL: Luke 4:1-13
Just Say “No”
I don’t think I’m a bad person, and yet I seem to have more than my share of not-so-good impulses. Nothing really terrible, mind you, but not necessarily things to be proud of. I used to think that there was something wrong with me. How could a good person be tempted to belittle someone, for instance? Isn’t that just rotten and extremely abnormal? Maybe I need to see a therapist!
If you’re in the same boat (or in a similarly rickety craft), then take heart. In this Sunday’s gospel reading, we see that Jesus was tempted, too – by the devil himself.
Temptation is Normal
Jesus is God. But this week we see yet again that he was also fully human. The Spirit led him into the desert after he had been baptized in the river Jordan. In fact, scriptures say that he “was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil.”
The Spirit took him there to be tempted – and tested! Does the Spirit ever do that to us?
Jesus was human and, being human, he felt the pull of the temptations the devil held out before him. Does that mean he was a bad person? Does it mean he was less holy because these ideas even crossed his mind?
The fact that Jesus was tempted should not cause us to question his divinity or holiness – it simply reflects his humanity. When people like me remember that Jesus himself was tempted, it comes as a great relief. For if Christ himself had to deal with temptations, then I know that I’m okay when I have to deal with mine.
The Way You Respond Is What Counts
It’s important to know that Jesus faced temptations. But it’s even more important to note that Jesus did not give in to them. Try as he might, the devil just couldn’t get Jesus to take the bait. No matter what the devil said or did, Jesus had a response – and those responses were taken from scripture.
Perhaps that is a good lesson to end on. When you’re standing face-to-face with your demon – whatever it may be – you shouldn’t have to “wing it.” By relying on the holy Scriptures and our Catholic beliefs, we should always be able to resist the devil. There is not only wisdom but also strength in the stability of the Church and her teachings. With the Spirit as our foundation and our guide, perhaps we can look temptation in the eye and just say “no.”
Life Applications:
How impulsive are you?
What are the temptations you face on a regular basis?
How do you respond to the temptations you face?
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Original article by Brandon Jubar, 2004-2022.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.