In today’s Gospel (Mark 1:12-15) we are told that Jesus was “tempted” by Satan and a number of people have asked me if Jesus was Jesus really tempted like we are tempted- because after all- Jesus was divine.)
Yes, and I find it very pointed that even Jesus had to undergo a period of “testing” before he began his public ministry. Satan is always trying to test us, as he does with all humanity. The “test” is basically to see if we will trust completely in God’s word, in God’s will for us. A lack of trust on our part would undermine God’s plan of salvation, and the role that every baptised Christian believer is asked and expected to perform would be side-tracked.
Satan tested Adam and Eve, to see if they would obey God’s will in all things; so he planted a seed of “doubt” about what God really said, and about God’s intentions. Satan tested Jesus in the desert, and as we know from the Gospels, tried to plant a seed of doubt in Jesus’ human mind about his true identity and role in God’s plan. Before Satan could test Noah and his sons after the great flood, God entered into a covenant with them, putting their minds at rest by promising that he would never again permit a watery deluge that would destroy the human race (Genesis 9:8-15). But ever since then, Satan tries to get us to doubt God's love for us.
Every one of us will be “tested” by the Satan, of that we can be sure! He will try to plant seeds of distrust and doubt in our minds. He will try to undermine the supporting “tripod” of our faith: Scripture, Tradition, and Magisterial Authority, and he has been successful at this in the past. Just remember the sad schisms that originated with Satan that have disrupted our church unity, attacking the tripod leg of “authority.” The root word for “obedience” means to “listen” – and every Christian is called to “listen” to God, not Satan. To help us “listen” to the right voice, Jesus passed on his own authority to the Apostles, who passed it on to those bishops in union with Rome. Anyone outside these tripod legs called “Tradition” and “Authority” are listening to the wrong voice. “Scripture” (Jesus) warns us repeatedly about the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod (false religious leaders and ignorant political leaders).
We are now starting our 2015 Lenten observances and Lent is the primary penitential season in the Church year, reminding us of Jesus’ forty days of prayer and fasting in the desert. The Tempter certainly tried his best to “distract” and tempt Jesus, but was unsuccessful (CCC #540). When Jesus calls us to “repent” (CCC #541), it is a call to prayer, fasting and almsgiving – holy and traditional ways of acting out our conversion, finding spiritual strength and living the Christian life (CCC #1434). Take temptation seriously; your eternal life is at stake!
Yes, and I find it very pointed that even Jesus had to undergo a period of “testing” before he began his public ministry. Satan is always trying to test us, as he does with all humanity. The “test” is basically to see if we will trust completely in God’s word, in God’s will for us. A lack of trust on our part would undermine God’s plan of salvation, and the role that every baptised Christian believer is asked and expected to perform would be side-tracked.
Satan tested Adam and Eve, to see if they would obey God’s will in all things; so he planted a seed of “doubt” about what God really said, and about God’s intentions. Satan tested Jesus in the desert, and as we know from the Gospels, tried to plant a seed of doubt in Jesus’ human mind about his true identity and role in God’s plan. Before Satan could test Noah and his sons after the great flood, God entered into a covenant with them, putting their minds at rest by promising that he would never again permit a watery deluge that would destroy the human race (Genesis 9:8-15). But ever since then, Satan tries to get us to doubt God's love for us.
Every one of us will be “tested” by the Satan, of that we can be sure! He will try to plant seeds of distrust and doubt in our minds. He will try to undermine the supporting “tripod” of our faith: Scripture, Tradition, and Magisterial Authority, and he has been successful at this in the past. Just remember the sad schisms that originated with Satan that have disrupted our church unity, attacking the tripod leg of “authority.” The root word for “obedience” means to “listen” – and every Christian is called to “listen” to God, not Satan. To help us “listen” to the right voice, Jesus passed on his own authority to the Apostles, who passed it on to those bishops in union with Rome. Anyone outside these tripod legs called “Tradition” and “Authority” are listening to the wrong voice. “Scripture” (Jesus) warns us repeatedly about the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod (false religious leaders and ignorant political leaders).
We are now starting our 2015 Lenten observances and Lent is the primary penitential season in the Church year, reminding us of Jesus’ forty days of prayer and fasting in the desert. The Tempter certainly tried his best to “distract” and tempt Jesus, but was unsuccessful (CCC #540). When Jesus calls us to “repent” (CCC #541), it is a call to prayer, fasting and almsgiving – holy and traditional ways of acting out our conversion, finding spiritual strength and living the Christian life (CCC #1434). Take temptation seriously; your eternal life is at stake!
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