The Gospel this Sunday is the familiar story of Christ’s great fast and temptation from St. Mathew 4:1-11. After Jesus’ Baptism, He withdrew to the Judean wilderness for a period of devotion. At the close of His days of prayer and fasting, the Tempter sought to catch him in a moment of weakness. Satan used appealing lures and even tried to confuse matters by quoting Scripture.
Of course, Jesus of Nazareth rejected the temptations of the devil. He knew that it was wrong to serve Satan for any reason. Jesus chose to live on the earth in the ways His heavenly Father wished. He would not turn away from those principles despite attacks or misunderstandings. He would remain steadfast even when it meant rejection by the crowds and death on the Cross. In certain respects, the Temptation of Christ was unique. No one else has ever been so innocent and resisted temptation so completely. He defeated Satan's temptations on our behalf.
Yet, although Christ is unique, in certain respects, His temptations are similar to those of every other human being. So the story of His basic temptations applies to all of us. Temptations are rooted in the needs of human life. All human beings seek some degree of physical or material comfort. All human beings have some natural desire for approval from other people. All of us want some control over our surroundings.
The problem is that these natural needs and desires can draw us away from God and His intentions for human life. So we must be vigilant and disciplined. We must struggle to remain loyal to divine principles in all areas of life. And we can only remain faithful through the grace and assistance of Jesus Christ each day. Through the Word, Sacrament, and prayer. He can strengthen us in our weaknesses and in our temptations. And although we stumble, He helps the faithful to repent, arise, and keep walking with Him by faith.
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