First Sunday of Lent: "Who wins the conversation?"

 

(Ivan Kramskoy - Christ in the Desert 1897)

"One does not live on bread alone."

The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030925.cfm

If the devil, the Prince of Darkness, and his legions were to appear to you, what sort of conversation would you have with him?

Trained exorcists tell us that you should never engage in conversation with the demons.  They are intelligent, crafty, and twist what is false, making it sound as if it were true.  Don’t believe anything they say, they advise, no matter how enticing it may seem. He is the ultimate manipulator, more intelligent than we are.

Satan is named, the “Father of lies” for a reason.  Nothing he may say or do should be trusted. His intent is to sow seeds of division, dissent, and destruction. He has no good intentions, particularly against those who believe in God and follow Christ.

However, our Gospel on this first Sunday of Lent, always brings us to a particular conversation between Jesus and Satan.

This conversation, as strange as it seems, grabs us because it is the one and only time, we see such a thing.  Normally, through various healings and confrontations with those who claimed to be possessed by an evil spirit, Jesus would not engage in conversation but would command that spirit to leave the person – and it would.  

Here the devil approaches Jesus at a time when he is especially vulnerable after a 40 day fast in the barren and empty desert.  More than a month without food, Luke makes the point of indicating, would leave anyone in a state of weakness, desperately hungry and likely ready to eat just about anything. Luke states in one translation “. . . he was famished.”

The devil approaches Jesus in this state hoping to take advantage. “Turn these stones into bread.” What would you do or say?  What, if you had the power to do what Satan suggested?  You haven’t eaten for 40 days and, after all, it’s only bread.  Who would care about or even blame you for doing it?  The temptation for satisfaction, for giving in to pleasures of the flesh, for turning away from God’s will would be strong. Here, Jesus identifies with our own struggle against sins of distorted fleshly pleasure.

Our Lord, does not give in but does quote scripture: “Man does not live on bread alone . . . “We do not seek our ultimate purpose in this world, its joys and diversions, though flashy and momentarily satisfying, will never fulfill our purpose for being here but God alone. “Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee” so St. Augustine wisely reminds us. Can you resist the temptation to buy the next upgrade of your Iphone?  I hear it’s out now and has quite the capability! It’s only $1,000. (not tempting here)

Satan now ratches up the ante by going to a more enticing and clever temptation for power and prestige.  He shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence and then states, “. . . for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please.”

What does this tell us about earthly power and who ultimately may be manipulating behind it.  Not position, but where unchecked power and position might lead.  We have seen inspiring leaders, but we have all too often seen dark and evil forces working through those in positions of power who seek nothing but glory and will go to any lengths to fulfill their lust for power. It reminds us that power tends to corrupt.

The fallen angels of Satan and his legions continue to wreak havoc where they can. Hoping that Jesus himself might achieve his end to “save the world” Satan awaits our Lord’s answer to abandon the cross and achieve his goal by being the most powerful man in the world. If he just joins in with the goals of the fallen, with the dark forces, imagine what they might accomplish!

Again, though Jesus confronts this temptation that we all feel at times in less dramatic ways to be the center of attention, to be noticed, to be powerful and influential, to answer to only ourselves, and he again quotes scripture: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.” Would you speak to the evil one in the same way or give in for the sake of personal fame, riches and power?

Finally, still determined, Satan places Jesus in a most dramatic position, on the top corner of the Temple in Jerusalem.  Here he challenges Jesus that the way down would be to simply jump! Yes, but for the sake of knowing the angels would fly in to protect him.  Imagine what the people would see from their vantage point.  Jesus jumps, angels appear and catch him, then gently place him on the ground.  Who is this that heavenly beings would come to his rescue in such a display?

Our Lord again resists by confronting this sin of presumption or daring to challenge the power of God by quoting scripture once again “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

So, in your conversation with the dark one, what would you say? Would you jump knowing that somehow God would come to your rescue and intervene, thereby you have won your challenge of God’s power? Don’t we at times want to be noticed for what we do or say?  What about being popular? Or being the center of attention when we enter a room?  How many times during the day do you look at yourself in a mirror or window concerned about your appearance? What can you answer on this question, on these temptations to old Satan?

The world, the flesh and the devil fight for control over us. In their confrontation for our ultimate destiny, I would take great comfort that we are on the winning side with Christ, who faced these and other temptations for our sake.  Though we still have a weak and flawed nature due to the first among us to eat the forbidden fruit, it is Christ himself who overcame the force of sin and won the battle for us. 

This God of mercy and love reaches out to us in times of temptation, we must decide whose side we want to be on.  That of light or that of darkness? 

To center our lives on the joy, fulfillment and satisfaction that only Christ can offer with the promise of eternal life or on the side of fame, glory, power, control to seek ultimate pleasure in this world, to get everything we can while were here, indifferent to the next. God has given us the power to choose.