DAY 2 - LENT & THE DESERT

Gospel > Luke 4:1-13  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 on 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 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, “It is written:You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on 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 put the Lord, your God, to the test.” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

Day 2 MEDITATION   Jesus goes out to worship in the desert; to be united with God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the desert.Jesus does not go out into the desert to be alone.

We can be easily impressed, observing the achievements of explorers and athletes who go to the desert. Some of them go without assistance.For example, competitive runners in the desert is that they can achieve so much without resources. They take no breaks; they have no teammates; they only run. Their individual perseverance gets them through.

A competitive spirit and drive may motivate us to go into the desert. We will escape for a while. However, we do not really go into the desert or on a retreat or to pray so as to escape.

We go to discover who we really are and who the Lord is calling us to be.

In other words, the physical fasting (e.g., no meat on Fridays) is just a reminder that we are also called to turn back to him for things that will really satisfy. After all, one does not live by bread – or meat – alone.

Also, this period of fasting helps us to be aware of our need for God’s strength. And, through this fasting, we can also examine our consciences, and confess our sins.

Our spiritual drive – to know ourselves and to know God’s will in our lives– will help us to see the desert as something positive. Lent may leave us thirsty or hungry, spiritually physically.

But we are not in the desert to come up with our own personal survival plan. We are in the desert of Lent to beg the Lord’s help in all of our temptations, all of our sufferings, in all of our scarcity.

 

DAY 2 – REFLECTIONS AND QUESTIONS

Catholic Catechism (n. 538)   – “The Gospels speak of a time of solitude for Jesus in the desert immediately after his baptism by John. Driven by the Spirit into the desert, Jesus remains there for forty days without eating; he lives among wild beasts, and angels minister to him. At the end of this time Satan tempts him three times, seeking to compromise his filial attitude toward God. Jesus rebuffs these attacks, which recapitulate the temptations of Adam in Paradise and of Israel in the desert, and the devil leaves him "until an opportune time".”   (Luke 4:13)

DAY 2 – QUESTION 1 -  When I experience temptations to sin, to dishonesty, to selfishness, do I listen for God’s voice in the desert? Or for the voice of someone else?

DAY 2 – QUESTION 1 -  The temptations of the Lord are ways for us to see how temptation may be manifest in our lives.   For example, can we be tempted – as Jesus was – (a) by material comfort (shown the bread) ?  (b) by wealth (the kingdoms of the world);   (c) by a misguided sense of God’s Providence and our free will (the risk of throwing oneself from the Temple)?