Jesus was hungry
Reading: Matthew 4: 1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. “All this I will give you,”
he said,
“if you will bow down and worship me.”Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’
Reflection
Here we meet satan attempting to draw Jesus away from his mission. Who is this satan? He is the accuser, the one who has traditionally attempted to draw people away from God, however, the power and divinity of God overcomes the wiles of the evil one. (Job 16:8) and Psalm (110:1) ‘The Lord says to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’
Satan is not going to be deflected from his desire to lead Jesus away from his mission. He has noticed that in his desire to deepen his relationship with his father that Jesus has fasted and prayed for forty days and nights in the wilderness. Forty days was often referred to in scripture as a time of testing and transformation for the people. In (Genesis 7:12) God was so troubled by the sin of the people that he allowed rain to fall from heaven for forty days and forty nights before he intervened and saved Noah and all in the ark with him. Satan realises that Jesus is hungry and vulnerable after a long fast and expects him to fall prey to his wiles. He wishes to sow seeds of doubt in his heart about his self -identity as a Son of God. He fails to recognise that Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit and knows who he is as Son of the Father; a knowledge that has been deepened through a long period of fasting and prayer. Affirmed through his prayer, Jesus knows who he is as son the Father and rebuffs satans temptation to turn a stone into a loaf of bread stating the truth that one does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Undaunted, Satan takes Jesus up to the parapet of the temple in the holy city and challenges him to throw himself off; reassuring him that God will send his angels to protect him. Alert to the wiles of Satan, Jesus rebukes Satan and quite clearly tells him not to put God to the test. The holy city is Jerusalem, the place where the salvation story will unfold in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Through his passion the suffering of all peoples will be washed away and all people will come to know the Lord. (Revelations 21: 2-4)“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Finally, Satan offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he will bow down and worship him. Satan fails to recognise that he can offer Jesus nothing- all creation belongs to God. We are reminded of the commandment of God, when Jesus tells Satan that God alone is to be worshiped. ‘you must not worship any other gods except me.’ (Exodus 20:3-5)Jesus’ response to temptation challenges me to reflect on my own attitude to temptation. Do I clothe myself in a mantle of prayer to protect myself from the wiles of Satan? Do I recognise temptation in my own life and how do I respond?
What are my own areas of vulnerability and weakness and what support do I have to face and counteract temptation?
Do I feed on the bread of the Eucharist and the Word of God to enrich my soul and deepen my relationship with my heavenly father?Are there times in my life when I put God to the test and do not take him seriously when He asks something of me?
Do I know myself as a beloved child of God who has the protection of a loving father against all temptation?
Prayer
Today, your world is faced with many temptations; many wiles of the evil one; temptations to power, vainglory, greed. As Christian communities, fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we may to stand together to face down the sin of the world. We, your people desire to deepen our relationship with you through lives of deep prayer. May we always call on your holy name to protect us against all temptation; may your name be held holy this day and always, Amen.
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