The fifth word in my Lent lexicon is:
TEMPTATION.
We all know temptation. We experience it in ways that can be life changing. We also experience it in ways that seem so small as to be insignificant. The source of their power is that they begin by seeming attractive and appealing. This attraction can distract us from or true purpose and even our true desire.
In today’s gospel we see Jesus led by the Spirit into the wilderness:
“Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days.”
Jesus is tempted by the devil in ways that touch the most basic of human desires. As he struggles with hunger, the devil tempts him to turn stones into bread. As Jesus becomes aware of his weakness in the wilderness the devil offers him power.
At the end of a long period of solitude the devil tempts him to force God to rescue him. Jesus turns away from them all, seeing beyond the surface attraction of each. Eventually it’s the devil who gives up and leaves Jesus alone.
It can be hard to turn away from the attraction of our temptations, often we give into them before we even notice we’ve done it. It seems to me that what enables Jesus to dismiss his temptation is his focus.
He manages to keep sight of the bigger picture and so he can see that the temptations will distract him from that. He invites and challenges us to do the same when we face temptations.
What is helping you to turn away from your temptations this Lent?