Lent Reflection: The Temptations of Christ in the Desert (Part 3)

The Second Temptation

When scripture is quoted and the text is not provided, please look to the bottom of the reflection for the text of the scripture.

Let us once again look at the text from the Gospel according to Matthew.

Mat 4:1-11 

(1) The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. (2)  After Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights, he was very hungry. (3)  Then the devil came to him and said, "If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.” (4)  Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: 'No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.' " 

(5)  Next, the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. (6)  The devil said, "If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say: 'God will give his angels orders about you. They will catch you in their arms, and you won't hurt your feet on the stones.' "  (7)  Jesus answered, "The Scriptures also say, 'Don't try to test the Lord your God!' " 

(8)  Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power. (9)  The devil said to him, "I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and worship me.” (10)  Jesus answered, "Go away Satan! The Scriptures say: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.' "  (11)  Then the devil left Jesus, and angels came to help him.

This second temptation is an interesting one. It also is a difficult one to understand. We see that the Devil himself is a Scripture Scholar! In essence, this theological debate between Jesus and the Devil is a debate concerning the image of God. “Who is God?” is the issue.

To provide a defence against the first temptation, Christ quoted Scripture. Seizing on the opportunity presented, Satan attempts to twist the Bible to his own ends. He quotes Psalm 91:11-12 verbatim. Jesus responds with a quote from Deuteronomy 6:16. Against this background, we can begin to examine the debate.

Satan takes Jesus to the highest point of the Temple. This was the place where people would find God. He then tries to prompt Jesus into forcing God to prove He exists. He wants Jesus to put God to the test. This is why Jesus responds as he does. The quote from Deuteronomy is in response to the story in Exodus 17. The people where beginning to doubt that the Lord was with them. They wanted some miracle, some proof. Jesus recognises these intentions and refuses to allow Satan to fool him.

Let us stop for a moment. What is actually wrong with asking God for a little bit of proof. If we could prove in a scientific way that God existed, I am sure it would be a great help for each of us. Nevertheless, there is a fundamental problem here. Trying to subject God to testing in this way is arrogance. An arrogance that is incapable of perceiving God. When we try imposing out test conditions on Him, we place ourselves above him and then look for physical proof. It forces us to ignore the whole dimension of love. Modern man only believes that which he can test and grasp. This lack of openness to love and interior listening closes the way to God. It is impossible to find God by searching in this way.

We cannot ask God to prove He is God. We then put ourselves above him, and in doing so make ourselves God. We put ourselves in the position of judging the truth from lies. Satan in his use of Scripture is playing on this theme. He is attempting to put himself in God’s place. Once there he will decide the truth. Satan uses his quote as a stand-alone reference. In this way, he is assuming that God really has nothing to say to us in the Bible as a whole. He relegates the Bible to a tool for supporting any deed.

Jesus on the other hand provides a better model. He refuses to put God to the test. He knows that to do so would already exclude the openness to accept the proof. He is able to put the Psalm into a broader context. He knows that the quote provided by Satan does not refer to earthly comfort and protection. It is about a much deeper comfort, the confidence that he will receive comfort in eternity.

We see that the debate is about how we can and cannot know God. If we decide to try proving God’s existence, we already put ourselves in a position where this becomes impossible. How can you prove Love? However, if we accept the Love of God, then we will know God.

Bible verses forming part of the discussion, but not quoted above:

(Psalm 91:11-12)

God will command his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will carry you in their arms, and you won't hurt your feet on the stones.

(Deut 6:16)

…don't try to make him prove that he can help you, as you did at Massah.

(Ex. 17:1-7)

The Israelites left the desert and moved from one place to another each time the LORD ordered them to. Once they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for them to drink. The people started complaining to Moses, "Give us some water!" Moses replied, "Why are you complaining to me and trying to put the LORD to the test?" But the people were thirsty and kept on complaining, "Moses, did you bring us out of Egypt just to let us and our families and our animals die of thirst?" Then Moses prayed to the LORD, "What am I going to do with these people? They are about to stone me to death!" The LORD answered, "Take some of the leaders with you and go ahead of the rest of the people. Also take along the walking stick you used to strike the Nile River, and when you get to the rock at Mount Sinai, I will be there with you. Strike the rock with the stick, and water will pour out for the people to drink." Moses did this while the leaders watched. The people had complained and tested the LORD by asking, "Is the LORD really with us?" So Moses named that place Massah, which means "testing" and Meribah, which means "complaining."

Lent Reflection: The Temptations of Christ in the Desert (Part 2)

The First Temptation

When scripture is quoted and the text is not provided, please look to the bottom of the reflection for the text of the scripture.

Let us once again look at the text from the Gospel according to Matthew.

Mat 4:1-11  

(1) The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. (2)  After Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights, he was very hungry. (3)  Then the devil came to him and said, "If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.” (4)  Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: 'No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.' "  (5)  Next, the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. (6)  The devil said, "If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say: 'God will give his angels orders about you. They will catch you in their arms, and you won't hurt your feet on the stones.' "  (7)  Jesus answered, "The Scriptures also say, 'Don't try to test the Lord your God!' "  (8)  Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power. (9)  The devil said to him, "I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and worship me.” (10)  Jesus answered, "Go away Satan! The Scriptures say: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.' "  (11)  Then the devil left Jesus, and angels came to help him.

In the first temptation Satan waits for Christ to be at a very weak point before confronting him with a temptation. After some time without eating, Lucifer’s proposition is to give Jesus some comfort by way of food. We see how cunning the Devil is, he doesn’t appear to be doing any harm, just giving a suggestion which would bring comfort. Doesn’t this seem familiar? A temptation presented as an opportunity to help, to comfort?

But Jesus responds, sensing the evil intentions of the Evil One. Jesus knows that the soul is much more important than bodily health. This gives us the real meaning of “Fear of the Lord”: it is being more afraid of damaging your soul than of losing some physical ability, or foregoing some pleasure. Jesus is being asked here to choose his bodily existence over his eternal one. He is actually being asked to prove that he is the Son of God. We that Jesus understood the undertones of the temptation by his response: “No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.” This is a quotation of Deuteronomy 8:3: “so he made you go hungry. Then he gave you manna, a kind of food that you and your ancestors had never even heard about. The LORD was teaching you that people need more than food to live--they need every word that the LORD has spoken.” We can further assert that, as we hear in St John’s Gospel, Jesus is the Word and that it is Jesus we need to survive into eternity. We have Jesus when we live by his example, by obeying his teaching, by living lives full of Love.

In this short Gospel passage we see Christ giving us the right order of being. First comes God (who is Love (1 John 4:8)), then everything else to follow. So often in our lives we are tempted to first try provide for a comfortable life and then we think we can see to our souls when we are comfortable. Jesus teaches us here that we will never really be comfortable until we put Love first, the ultimate Love, the Love revealed by Christ, who is God who is Love.

The temptation is often also to try and provide “bread” to others. Isn’t world hunger the saddest thing, which proves that a loving God does not exist? Shouldn’t the Messiah be able to provide bread? No doubt, there are so many people in need. But when we don’t respect the right ordering, and put bread above Love, then we will fail those we are trying to help. We will end up giving stones and not bread. Below we see that Jesus does give bread to the people in a different setting. One that occurs in the correct context: where the giving of bread is in the correct context, not to prove his power only.

We are continually asked to remember this right ordering of things, so that we may always be able to provide real bread. Now, you may ask, where have we seen that bread is provided; all we’ve seen here is hunger. Let us go further on in the Gospel, to an event where Jesus does provide bread. I would like to quote directly our dear Pope B16 who talks of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves to feed the thousands (see: Mt 15:34 – 38):

“Why does Christ now do the very thing he had rejected as a temptation before? The crowds had left everything in order to come and hear God’s word. They are people who have opened their heart to God and to one another; they are therefore ready to receive the bread with the proper disposition. The miracle of the loaves has three aspects, then. It is preceded by the search for God, for his word, for the teaching that sets the whole of life on the right path. Furthermore, God is asked to supply the bread. Finally, readiness to share with one another is an essential element of the miracle. Listening to God becomes living with God, and leads from faith to love, to the discovery of the other. Jesus is not indifferent toward men’s hunger, their bodily needs, but he places these things in the proper context and the proper order.” (Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict XVI, 2007, p32)

Bible verses mentioned above, not quoted:
(Mat 15:34-38)
Jesus asked them how much food they had. They replied, "Seven small loaves of bread and a few little fish." After Jesus had told the people to sit down, he took the seven loaves of bread and the fish and gave thanks. He then broke them and handed them to his disciples, who passed them around to the crowds. Everyone ate all they wanted, and the leftovers filled seven large baskets. There were four thousand men who ate, not counting the women and children.

Lent Reflection: Temptations of Christ in the Desert (Part 1)

Introduction

When scripture is quoted and the text is not provided, please look to the bottom of the reflection for the text of the scripture.

Let us start by looking at the text from the Gospel according to Matthew.

Mat 4:1-11 

(1) The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. (2)  After Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights, he was very hungry. (3)  Then the devil came to him and said, "If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.” (4)  Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: 'No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.' " 

(5)  Next, the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. (6)  The devil said, "If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say: 'God will give his angels orders about you. They will catch you in their arms, and you won't hurt your feet on the stones.' "  (7)  Jesus answered, "The Scriptures also say, 'Don't try to test the Lord your God!' " 

(8)  Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power. (9)  The devil said to him, "I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and worship me.” (10)  Jesus answered, "Go away Satan! The Scriptures say: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.' "  (11)  Then the devil left Jesus, and angels came to help him.

For this time I’d like to focus on the first two verses.

Now, at first read, it does seem strange that the Holy Spirit would lead Jesus into the desert so that he could be tested, and not just tested, but tested by Satan. Should it really surprise us though? I mean, how would Jesus, being fully human, really, really know who he was if he didn’t face a challenge? Our beliefs are shaped not only by intellectual arguments, but also more strongly by experience. If Jesus did not experience the temptations, and emerge triumphant, would he know what he believed? Having faced the temptations that Satan put to him, and emerged victorious, he was able to concretely testify to what his mission was. He was able to define, for both himself, and us what he came for. You need to be confronted by an idea to form an opinion.

We must also understand that for Jesus to find and save the lost sheep, he must enter the place where it has been lost. He must totally follow down the path that leads to such a loss of self, and in order for redemption to occur, he must conquer the things that cause man to lose himself. However, if Jesus where to give into these temptations, it would not be possible for him to redeem us. In addition, if he did not face the temptations then Jesus would not be able to redeem us, because he would have no contact with us, no opportunity to truly find us (See Heb 2:18). Often we hear the expression, “Don’t judge unless you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” This is true. Perhaps we can extend this and say, “Don’t try and help unless you can see the person’s shoes.” In this way, many charitable actions would be saved from failure. Sending money to a foreign place is not much help to the people. What they need is recognition. For someone to get close enough to understand the problems. When you send money from afar, you cannot have any idea of whether the project addresses the needs. The philanthropist must immerse himself in the problems, in the pain, of the one he seeks to help. Only in that way can he know what to do.

Back to the Gospel, what I am trying to say is this: Jesus was led by the Spirit to the place where he could find fallen humanity and from there begin to guide us home. He felt our pain, experienced our problems. He knows what we need. And not only did he walk a mile in our shoes, I’m sure in 40 days he covered more ground than that.

Also, notice that Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert before he was tempted. A period we try to emulate during lent (except that we have some respite each Sunday). This is very important because it was an opportunity for Jesus to learn in the School of Silence. In the School of Silence a person is left to find only himself or herself, their core identity, and in this core identity we recognise our relationship with God. But if the noise of the world is never escaped we can never discover the boundless beauty of this relationship. And if we don’t recognise Jesus, who is also God, when he comes to save us by pointing the way home, how will we ever find the way out of our “lostness”? Jesus built strength in the School of Silence and knew His Divinity (knowledge hidden from the devil), with this knowledge He was ready to refuse anything the devil could offer him. If we, too, are able to move away from the noise of the world we will also discover our relationship with Jesus and be able to know what we are created to be. A discovery so precious, the pearl of great price (Mat 13:46) if you will, that nothing can remove God's peace from us.

Let’s look at the 40 days part. Now, honestly, no matter how bad the food available is, nobody can go without it for 40 days and nights. Impossible. So what is this trying to tell us? The early Church Fathers stretched numerology a bit and said that the four represents the world (North, South, East, West being four corners of the world) and the 10 to represent the 10 commandments, or the law. Hence, 40 represents the law expanded to embrace all nations. And this is consistent with Jesus’ teaching. Another way to view this number is to see in it the reflection of the events in salvation history: Noah’s Ark (rain for 40 days and nights), the 10 commandments (Moses went up Mount Sinai for 40 days), and the Exodus (40 years in the desert). In this, we see Jesus connecting himself, identifying himself, with salvation history. 

As a closing for this introduction, I’d like to point out a link to the Old Testament. Where Adam was tempted in the garden he succumbed, as has humanity since. When Jesus was tempted in a place that would become the place of reconciliation and healing, the antidote to the sin, its opposite side, just as the desert is the opposite of the garden. And the antidote to our fallen condition is Love. Jesus teaches always how to love. From the above I think we can see that this love is one of compassion, of entering into the others suffering. The world needs this love. That Christians enter into each other’s “passion” if you will. That we have com-passion. Let’s use the time of lent to feel compassion for those who are less fortunate, and then let’s do something for them.

Scripture verses:

Heb 2:18  And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted.

Mat 13:46  and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus begins today

Today is the start of the novena to the Holy Face of Jesus, leading up to Ash Wednesday.
You can find the text for the novena at this site: www.holyface.eu/novena.html
From the site we learn also:

There has been devotion to the Holy Face ever since Our Lord walked the earth. His mother looking down into the manger and seeing the Face of a beautiful Boy, the eyes of St. Mary Magdalen as she looked up at Him with love after anointing His Feet with perfume, St. Veronica whose veil, along with the Holy Shroud, is the basis for our depictions of Christ in the icons upon which we've gazed for two millennia.

Victory for Life and Fiscal Sanity: U.S. House Votes to Defund Planned Parenthood

By Deacon Keith Fournier

2/18/2011

Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - On Friday, February 18, 2011 the U.S. House of Representatives, by a margin of 240-185, voted to cut off federal funding to Planned Parenthood. The vote did not proceed along strict party lines. The vote did however reveal those members who have a conscience and care about what the American people truly want and those who do not.

Those who voted to cut off tax dollars to this organization are to be commended. That included 11 Democrats. Those who voted against this legislation, including 7 Republicans, ought to be publicly exposed. The one who voted "present" may be the worst offender. We will find out the names of the members in each category and inform our readers. The champion of this legislation was Rep. Mike Pence, who said after the historic vote:

"This afternoon's vote is a victory for taxpayers and a victory for life. By banning federal funding to Planned Parenthood, Congress has taken a stand for millions of Americans who believe their tax dollars should not be used to subsidize the largest abortion provider in America. I commend my colleagues in both parties for taking a stand for taxpayers and a stand for life. I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to support this legislation and end federal funding of Planned Parenthood once and for all."

We commend Congressman Pence and others, like Pro-Life Champion Congressman Chris Smith, whose courage and tenacity have led to this important vote. We urge our readers to pray fervently for those in the Senate who will soon be asked to consider this legislation. We also encourage everyone reading this article to continue to make their support of this legislation crystal clear to their own Senators. 

In 2009 I examined Planned Parenthood's 2007-2008 Annual Report. As a 501 c3 organization (with an affiliated "Action fund" for its more overtly political efforts) they have to make the report available to the public. I well understand the role and function of such reports having led not for profits groups in the past. It keeps members, supporters and friends aware of the organizations use of their funds and gives the organization the opportunity to self promote.

Planned Parenthood is built on a lie. They dress themselves up as a "Health Care Provider" while they include the taking of the lives of innocent children in the womb as a "service" under their offering of "reproductive services". They have insinuated themselves into the global delivery of "medical services" receiving massive government funding as this report clearly confirms. Included in these "medical services" is the killing of children in the womb.

There is nothing "reproductive" about abortion, it always kills a human person. It is certainly not a service to the child, the mother, the father or society. Nor is it "health care". Funding it is morally repugnant. Extracting tax dollars from all of us to do so is immoral and maddening..

Their 2007 - 2008 Report took their claims to a level of audacity which I had never seen. As a part of their outreach to "clergy" who condone their work, they honored a woman who referred to the killing of children in the womb through surgical strikes and chemical weapons as "Sacred Work" and "Prophetic Work".

They gave her the "Davis Award", named after Reverend Tom Davis, a minister in the United Church of Christ and his wife. Davis wrote a book entitled "Abortion -- Is it Necessary?" in which he contended that the "sacred work of justice," requires that America provide abortions to women. He is the chair of the "Clergy Advisory Board" of Planned Parenthood.

In the early paragraphs of their 2007- 2008 report they claimed "Planned Parenthood is the leading sexual and reproductive health care advocate and provider, with 93 years under our belt. And in the near future, we will play a unique role in helping to shape the health agenda for the new administration." They certainly succeeded in their prediction. The current Administration is has become their greatest ally. However, today's important vote portends a change is in the air.

Thursday evening brought a three hour long, impassioned floor debate over this legislation. The defenders of the indefensible, using our tax dollars to fund the work of Planned Parenthood, used their tired old rhetoric, calling the proponents of the legislation, including women, of waging a "war on women". Fortunately, they failed. 

In her recent story written before the vote, Catholic Online's Jennifer Hartline said of Congressman Pence,  "Pence is among many pro-life heroes in Congress who are actively pursuing the permanent defunding of Planned Parenthood.  He's certainly gotten Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richard's attention with his Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act."

"Between the Pence amendment and the Live Action videos that reveal PP's utter disregard for children's welfare and safety and their disdain for the law, Richards knows that PP's federal gravy train is under serious threat of derailment."

She is referring to Cecile Richards, the President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America who lobbied hard to prevent the passage of this amendment.

Jennifer Hartline continued, "Finally, the political facade is being melted away and many Americans are beginning to see Planned Parenthood for what it truly is; an organization that profits from the destructive sexual activities of minors and adults - and quite possibly criminal sexual activities - and the wanton extermination of babies.  And thankfully, many more Americans are asking, "Why should we pay for this?" 

"We shouldn't be paying for this.  Let the vocal and wealthy celebrities and abortion advocates in the country donate to their pet cause and keep PP operating if they choose, but keep our tax dollars out of it.  I choose not to fund PP.  I choose to value and protect my neighbor in the womb.  I choose life.  What about it, Cecile?  Aren't you supposed to be pro-choice? Thanks to Pence, Chris Smith of NJ and other unyielding defenders of life, the current Congress is poised to finally defund Planned Parenthood permanently."  

Cecile Richards responded after Friday's vote in these words, "The outcome of this vote is not a surprise, but it is radically out of step with mainstream American values and it is out of line with the issues voters want Congress to focus on." No, Ms. Richards, it is your organization which is out of step with mainstream American values and we are determined to stop paying its tab.

Next stop is the US Senate. Representative Pence had a message for his colleagues there, "I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to support this legislation and end federal funding of Planned Parenthood once and for all." We must all help to ensure they get the message loud and clear.

- - -

Catholic Online asks that you join with us and help in this vital mission bysending this article to your family, friends, and neighbors and adding our link (www.catholic.org) to your own website, blog or social network. Let us broadcast, we are PROUD TO BE CATHOLIC!

Front page news: Shame on you "abortion charity" Marie Stopes!

I had a little trouble believing my eyes this morning as I caught a glance of the front page of the "Metro" free morning newspaper (distributed in London). First thing that caught my eye was the wording in the headline: "Abortion charity", excuse me? I am still confused on this issue. I thought that to be a charity you had to pass the public benefit test. Now I may be extremely conservative in my views, but killing people is not a public benefit. Nor is encouraging them to get infected with sexually transmitted diseases (the UK already has the highest rate of STD's among teenagers in Europe). Not only is "abortion charity" an oxymoron, it is moronic. Disgusting. And never mind the real definition of charity as "love in action". We need to really bring back the meaning to the charity business. Bring back the love. Without love there can be no "love in action", no real charity.
But then that is not all. Apparently Marie Stopes International thinks it appropriate to tell teenagers that anal sex will help them enjoy themselves without getting pregnant. I almost fainted. "One up the bum, no harm done, you won't be a mum" or something equally ridiculous. I'm sorry, I think this is a strong argument against the theory of evolution. How can anybody with good genes be this stupid. You may not be a mum, but your chances of getting HIV just skyrocketed. Maybe they should be more truthful and sing "One up the bum and you won't live long." Someone wake me from this nightmare. This is even worse then the time I saw advertising on the side of a London bus informing teenage girls that they will get a free £10 music voucher with  their pap smear test. And only a little less worse than the show on public TV "The joys of teen sex" (I kid you not, Channel 4 is airing this idiocy).
I have scanned the image in so that you can see I haven't made this up, I know all sane individuals would never believe it.
And this is all a little bit Monty Python if you ask me. Once you consider the above and then look at the lead picture story about Rihanna being upset that her song about sex and sadomasochism has been edited by the BBC. I'm confused, you don't want to have sexy songs unless they are about anal sex? Or is it that it is only okay to publicise children's sex. No? Maybe it is only okay if it involves killing infants then, must be. Disgusting. Marie Stopes hang your heads in shame.
Let us take this time to pray for the youth, for those who are involved in the abortion industry and also those involved in the sexualisation of children. May God grant them a change of heart and show them the path of true Love. Amen.

Weekly reflection from the Jesuit Institute

This is this weeks reflection from the Jesuit institute in South Africa, it deals with the conflict in the Arab countries of North Africa by starting with a quote from the Qur'an. Nice approach. Enjoy:

Quotation:  "Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes a partner therein, and whoever recommends and helps an evil cause shares in its burden." (Qur’an, 4:85)

Reflection:  It is hard to know how to react to what is happening in Egypt.  At first our hearts might be gladdened by the sight of ‘people power’ on the streets: after all popular protest is something that helped bring down a bad government in South Africa. 

But then we might feel dismay and anger at the use of violence, certainly by the Government forces but also by some protestors.  Then we might feel concern that the protests are being orchestrated by certain groups or shock at the violation of great treasures in the museums.  And we might feel anxiety at what happens to peace in the Middle East if this stable but undemocratic regime falls, or fear for the plight of the Christian minority if there is a new Islamist government. 

The quote from the Qur’an reminds us always to return to understand the cause – for in that we will find the measure of what is of God and what is not.

Prayer:  God, the Almighty the Compassionate.  We ask your blessing on the people of Egypt and all the people of Africa.  Give wisdom, compassion and courage to those in authority, those on the streets and those with the power to influence. 
Amen.