Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'" Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, "I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours if you worship me." Jesus said to him in reply, "You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve." Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand ore the parapet of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,' and: 'With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him in reply, "It also says, 'You shall not part the Lord, your God, to the test.'" When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time. 

Introductory Prayer: "Probe me, O God, and know my ways; try me, and know my thoughts; see if my way is crooked, and lead me in the way of old." (Ps 139: 23-24) 

Petition: Lord, teach us to watch and pray, that we may not enter into temptation. 

1.  Why Does God Allow Temptation? This is a very enlightening gospel passage. In the desert, Jesus encountered the devil. The Spirit of God had led him there for this encounter. There is a dialogue. There are three temptations. These are captured and communicated to us by the gospel writer. Let us reflect a little on who is behind the temptations, on what they are and how Jesus behaves before them. 

Temptation is a solicitation to evil on the part of our spiritual foes. God himself does not tempt us directly for God is not a tempter of evils. But he allows us to be tempted by our spiritual enemies, at the same time giving us the graces necessary to resist (cf. CCC 2846, 2848). Temptation is a means to inherit heaven. God wants to make us merit heaven and to merit it as a reward. Temptation, which puts in jeopardy our correct behavior, is certainly one of the most trying hardships. To struggle courageously against it with the help of grace is one of the most meritorious acts we can perform. And when we overcome it with God's grace, we can repeat with St. Paul that we have fought the good fight. God will want to reward us in proportion to our love in overcoming temptation. 

Temptation is also a means of purification. It reminds us that in the past we have fallen by carelessness and not working hard enough. It is thus an occasion for new acts of contrition, shame and humiliation, which make for the purification of our soul. At the same time it obliges us to make an earnest and sustained efforts not to fall again: we can offer this effort to atone for our prior negligence and weakness, and that helps purify our soul. 

We can turn temptation into an instrument of spiritual progress. It shakes us out of complacency and passivity. It reminds us that we need always to forge ahead and aim higher, for otherwise we will backslide. 

Temptation teaches us not to trust ourselves or our own strength. It shows us our weakness on our own. We feel more keenly our need for grace and this makes us pray more earnestly. We come face-to-face with the need to counteract our love of pleasure, our pride, the source of our temptations - and it gives us a reason to embrace the crosses of everyday in order to grow stronger. 

It moves us to trust more in God, to go to him for help, to thank him for his unfailing grace, to go to him for shelter. He is our most loving Father and we go to him in all our trials. 

So temptation despite appearances is a benefit, and on this account that God allows his friends to be tempted. 

2.  The Three Temptations of Jesus.

1.  Impatience, not waiting for God, thinking only of ourselves.

After his long fast, Jesus was "hungry" (another one of those gospel understatements!). The devil suggests he use his power to provide for himself, rather than wait for the food his Father will provide. "Turn the stones to bread, don't wait, you must have it now!" " One does not live by bread alone," Jesus replies to the tempter. He waits for God's moment, and trusts. The one who feeds the birds of the air will feed him. His perseverance is rewarded: "angels served him" (Mk 1:13). 

In our human condition, one of the biggest temptations is that of impatience. We want everything immediately, we want to become holy right away. We need to put God at the center. He has his plan, his timetable, his moment of grace. We must pray, and persevere in our prayer. 

2.  Relying on material things, compromising your principles.

His Father had willed that he be born into a poor family and work as carpenter-handyman, with no abundance of material riches. Now Satan was offering Jesus "a better way." He showed him "all the kingdoms of the world": among them, the kingdoms of convenience and plenty. He "offered him the world" - "...all this I will give you..." - if Jesus would worship him. "Throw your lot in with me, the prince of this world", you can serve me and your Father, we'll find a way; you may have to sacrifice some of your priorities, but don't worry, it's OK, don't be a fanatic. 

The same tempter persuades us that if we don't adapt to the environment, go with the trends, or have the material means we can't do anything. It's the world that counts, not God. Concentrate your efforts on getting "all these"; worship the god of modern conveniences, buy success. Whatever you do, don't turn to God. He (the One who is!) is not real; only "stuff" is real. "Man, tempted by the devil, let his trust in his Creator die in his heart. This is man's first sin [and] all subsequent sin" (CCC 397). 

Where Adam failed, Christ, the new Adam, shows us the way: "It is written: you shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve." Indeed, he is himself the Way (Jn 14:6), for not only has he shown us how, he has done it for us (cf. CCC 540). 

3.  Make a splash.

It is a similar temptation. In fact, all three reproduce the temptation Adam succumbed to. It is always "trust in something other than God". Now Jesus is invited to "do it himself." His actions will make the difference. The devil tells Jesus to dazzle the multitude. He would win over the city in one bold stroke. Far quicker and much less painful than the slow progress of the "journey up to Jerusalem" to die on a cross. 

For us, it is the temptation of the quick fix. The easy success. Cutting corners. All action and no prayer. The journey to the resurrection without passing through the cross. 

And the Lord's lesson is once again the same: rely on God and on his word. Contemplate it, and ask for the grace to be convinced by it. 

3. The Fruits of Christ's Temptations.  The fact that Christ suffers the experience of being tempted by the devil is a reason for joy and encouragement. He wants to be our light so that we can see more clearly. He wants to lead the way for us so that we can follow with greater ease. Christ reminds us that there is no greater power than God's. When we trust in him, when we trust in the need to carry the cross in order to rise with him, our fears will be dispelled. But we still have to pass through temptation. For this we have to be strong, united to the Father through prayer and frequent reception of the sacraments. Lord, lead us not into temptation where we can fall but lead us through temptation that we may purify ourselves, grow in holiness and triumph in praising you. 

Questionnaire

1. In practice, do I appreciate the positive role of temptation in my spiritual growth? Or am I simply impatient or intimidated by it? 

2. Which temptation of the three do I experience more often or more powerfully? 

3. How can I accompany this effort with prayer and sacrifice?