Struggling with Temptations

 1ST SUNDAY OF LENT

[ Matthew 4: 1-11 ]

   Examinations (and tests) in schools.

From 20th Feb to 15th Mar 2023, the Form 5 students throughout Malaysia are sitting for their SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) examination, the equivalent of the British GCSE. Ask the SPM students (or even their parents), and they will tell you how they hate examinations (and tests): the mental stress that they have to endure, the long sleepless nights and insomnia that they have to suffer, the sacrifices that they have to make, and the nightmares that have haunted them. As the students sit for their examination, their parents too are also ‘put to the test’.

On the day of examination, a student must enter the examination hall alone – without the company of the parents or the tuition teachers, books or notes, Google or other search engines – he or she is completely on his or her own.

However depressing, daunting and intimidating examinations (and tests) could be, yet they are an integral part of a student’s learning process. Examinations (and tests) are necessary to gauge how well a student has learned and mastered a particular topic. Without examinations (and tests), it is impossible to know the proficiency level of a student.

   The temptations (and tests) of Jesus.

On this 1st Sunday of Lent, Jesus – filled with the Holy Spirit – was led by the Spirit through the wilderness (desert) being tempted there by the devil for forty days.

The words ‘tempt’, ‘tempted’ and ‘temptation’ often rouse up negative feelings and give rise to vulgar connotations. In fact, the Greek word ‘peirazo’ (to tempt) was used by St Luke the Evangelist; it means ‘to put to the test’.

Using the analogy of school examination, Jesus had, in a way, entered the ‘examination hall’ alone by Himself to be ‘tested’; and the ‘test’ lasted for forty days. But His ‘tests’ are far grimmer than any of the school examinations: He was tested (and tempted) for His person, His power and His source of provision.

   (1) Jesus was tested for His person: “If you are the Son of God…”

“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves.” [Mt 4: 3]

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down…” [Mt 4: 6]

And even during the last moments of Jesus’ life, when He was hanging on the cross, the ultimate temptation was, “Save yourself if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” [Mt 27: 40]

 

Jesus was tested (and tempted) for His person, His real identity and who He truly was. He knew Himself, His real identity and who He truly was – He was God’s only Begotten Son! And He refused to allow the devil to redefine Him or to confuse Him. Being the only Begotten Son of the Father, Jesus refused to exploit His special privilege to make life easier for Himself by turning the stones to loaves, or to prove His profound connection with the Father by jumping off the parapet, or to gain public admiration by coming down from the cross…

How often have we also been tested (and tempted) for our identity and for who we really are? Are there not moments when doubts rise in our hearts that, “If I am a child of God, He would…”, “If God really loves me, He would…” When trials and temptations come, we begin to experience identity crisis and start to doubt whether we are really the beloved children of God and whether God really loves us.

   (2) Jesus was tested for His power.

Jesus is the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. He is not a magician, a clown, or a stage performer, seeking personal glory or public admiration. He does not need to gain ‘likes’ and ‘views’ by turning the stones to loaves, or jumping off a building, or coming down from the cross…

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He had always been tested (and tempted) for His power. Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” [Mt 12: 38] On another occasion, they challenged Jesus, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?” [Jn 6: 30]

And even Thomas the Apostle said, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” [Jn 20: 25]

These sound eerily familiar. There are many occasions in our life that we demand spectacular and miraculous signs from God. More often than not, we are chasing after the signs of God and not the God of the signs. Perhaps we have forgotten that it is not for us to demand signs from God because God does whatever He deems fit and necessary. If He gives a spectacular and miraculous sign, praise God! And if He does not, we must praise Him still.

In all truth, this is the greatest and the only necessary sign for the salvation of our souls as promised by Jesus [Mt 12: 40] – all others are pale in comparisons – “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth.”

The next time when we are tempted to demand a sign from God, perhaps we should find assurance in the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus – it is the greatest and only necessary sign for the salvation of our souls. When God does not give us any other signs, may we always find consolations in Jesus’ words: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” [Jn 20: 29]

   (3) Jesus was tested for His source of provision.

In the temptation to turn the stones into loaves [cf. Mt 4: 3], Jesus was tempted to turn away from the Father to worship His own self.

In the temptation to gain all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour [cf. Mt 4: 8], Jesus was tempted to turn away from the Father to worship and to collude with the devil.

When God is seemingly silent and absent from our life, are we not tempted to depend on our own strength to find other sources of provision? When God seems slow to respond to our wants and needs, are we not tempted to find other ‘gods’ that will answer our every beck and call and fulfil our every whim and fancy?

Jesus’ only source of provision is the Divine Providence. He trusted the Father completely, totally, obediently and unreservedly. He did not lose His focus on the Father. Imitating our Lord Jesus, we must let the Divine Providence be our only source of provision – everything that we have comes from God alone and belongs to Him alone.

   Temptations in our life.

Temptation is real. By itself, temptation is not a sin. Like school examinations, temptation is an integral part of human life: individually, we will all be led into the wilderness (examination hall) and be tempted (put to the test). These are the trying and testing moments in life when we need to decide for ourselves who we are and what matters most in our life. Just like gold must be tested and refined by fire [cf. 1 Pt 1:7], temptation is necessary for our faith for when we fight and overcome temptation, we experience spiritual growth.

   Face off against the spirit of evil.

   As the Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan, we too following our Lord, Master and Teacher, also enter the Lenten desert in spirit in order to face with Him the ‘fight against the spirit of evil’.

   [cf. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI]

As Christians, we are not to shrink away from the devil or temptations. We are called to always ‘be calm but vigilant… stand up to the devil, strong in faith.’ [cf. 1 Pt 5: 8-9]

Let our fervent prayer be:

   “Lord Jesus Christ, help me fight against the spirit of evil in my own self and in my own life.”

Let us also pray that God’s justice, peace, truth and love may prevail in Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua.

   [Note: This Gospel reflection was adapted from the previous reflection dated 6 Mar 2022.]