1C Lent
6 Mar 2022
I was listening to a short homily from on of the Brothers of SSJE in Cambridge, MA. The group has produced a series of Lenten homilies and the one for today was on, guess what, temptation. Br. Woodrum admitted that when he gave up something for Lent, he usually made it about a week. Somehow it was reassuring that the brother, as well as St. Paul and St. Augustine, had as much problem as myself in keeping that type of vow. He goes on to point out giving up something you do not like in the first place also misses the mark.
Yet Lent is about temptation, whether to consume or do that which we told ourselves, in secret, that we would not consume or do or the bigger temptations. Today is about the bigger temptations. Jesus has just been baptized and he is led by the Spirit to the wilderness. Why would that happen? Usually we think of temptation as originating from evil yet this comes from God. As I think about it, it is the Holy Spirit that is more likely to get me in trouble (or should I say danger?) than the devil.
The first thing he encountered was the temptation to satisfy himself. Afterall, he had been without food for a long time and as the Son of God he most certainly could turn stones to bread. But that is what the rulers of his day were doing: using resources to obtain whatever suited their fancy. I wonder if Luke was, in his version, trying to tell us something about the world in which the listeners dwelt. I don’t have to go far to think of examples in my own life: deciding I need a certain kind of expensive food to make something taste perfect; or deciding to purchase designer clothes when JC Penny’s would be more than fine, or better yet the local thrift store. Many of these decisions we make are of little consequence and some, such as buying the work of a local artist as opposed to a cheap print, may be beneficial. Some serve to satisfy the inner cravings that mark us as human. Yet at some point this form of temptation will separate us from God; we forget we need God to provide for our deepest needs. The Israelites were admonished to give the best they had to God so that they would always remember from whence came all good things and all blessings.
Jesus also resists the temptation to become a secular power, in this case answering to the devil. Perhaps no temptation has caused greater hurt and grief in the world than the temptation to become a powerful. There is truth in the saying that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Until recent times, most of the usurpation of power was political; now we see large corporations wielding influence over vast resources, both human and material. Jesus reminds the devil that everything belongs to God and to God alone and that is where his, and our, loyalty should go. There is no more powerful testimony to this than that given by the writer of Deuteronomy. You are to bring you offerings and recite the words stating your history and how you were saved by and belong to God. Does anything seem less powerful than a wandering Aramean? When we bring our offerings, it is not just our material goods but our whole selves. Each week in the Eucharist we are reminded of the sacrifice made for us and in that the power to whom we owe our loyalty. Jesus did not forget his loyalty; let us not forget ours.
Finally the devil tempts Jesus to misuse the power of God. As humans we are to trust absolutely and completely in God. The Israelites complained about lack of food and lack of water, testing the early relationship they were developing with God. The price paid by those people was high; no one who demanded food and water and did not trust God would provide was allowed into the promised land. That is not to say we should not pray for our needs and those of others!! But our prayers should come as petitions and not demands. Don’t symbolically jump off a cliff expecting God to save you. Trust in the Lord.
I would point out that trusting in the Lord, following the Spirit, does not mean you life will be materially easy!! The spirit may lead you to dangers you did not want to face.
Perhaps we should think of Lenten disciplines through the lens of an athlete, or anyone learning new skills. I like to paint with watercolor. I am not good at it and probably never will be, but I know that to succeed at all I need to learn from others, learn from my own experience and, most importantly, practice, practice, practice. So it is with our Christian spiritual journey. This is the reason we encourage people to engage in study with others, particularly during the season of Lent. In this way we can grow as individuals and as the body of Christ.
More than one commentator has discussed the idea Jesus went to the wilderness to find out more about just who he was. He gave up food not as the equivalent of a Lenten discipline of an end itself, but rather as a means to an end.
Sunday, may I remind you, is a feast day, even in Lent. I am not quite sure then why we are not supposed to say the A word on Sunday, but be that as it may, we are always to keep our sabbath day as a celebration.
The other six days I encourage you to engage yourselves. Ponder the Word and find a way to start your journey to Jerusalem with Jesus. I promise you will not be disappointed.
Comments