Our Time of Testing
Reflection for the First Sunday of Lent
Lent - Our Period of Testing
Do you remember that first time in the swimming pool when you were told to go out into the deep – that part of the pool where your feet could not touch the bottom while your head was still above water. That was a frightening moment. We can be brave when our feet are firmly planted on the floor of the pool with our head above water, but we knew that was not real swimming. To really be a swimmer, we needed to let go of the side of the pool or push ourselves into deeper water. That was always easier to do if we had a coach with us – or perhaps a parent or older brother or sister to show us the way. It was a lot less scary to go into the deep when there was someone we trusted leading the way.
That is why Jesus went into the desert to be tempted after His baptism. That is why he ventured into the territory ruled by the king that had just arrested John the Baptist to start His preaching ministry. Jesus knew that we would need someone that we could trust to lead the way into the deep.
Mark’s telling of the temptation of Jesus is remarkably sparse. We are used to the details of the three temptations that are recounted in Matthew and Luke. It is fun to see how Jesus defeats Satan with just a few well-chosen words, and we wish it were that easy for us. But Mark has something to tell us by his focus on just the period of time Jesus was tested.
Immediately after His baptism, the Spirit “drives” Jesus out to the desert. He isn’t led or invited, but He is almost pushed. We know what that is like. There may be times when we go looking for temptations, but all too often those temptations come looking for us. It is like we are being forced into a test – a test of wills. Are we going to follow God’s will or our own?
Jesus enters the desert not for His own good, but He does it for us. Jesus knows He can defeat Satan. He does not need to be tested. But we need to see Him being tested. That gives us strength when we are facing our own tests. We see our Lord taking on Satan and the wild beasts of the desert, and He prevails. This is someone we want on our side. We go through Lent to prepare our hearts to be taken over by Jesus.
We also need to see Jesus going boldly into the area of the Galilee – the area ruled by Herod who just arrested John the Baptist. Jesus goes without fear to boldly proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand and that we all need to repent. Jesus leads the way so that we can follow in faith.
Jesus’s life is a mirror showing us our own spiritual journey. After our initial conversion (Baptism or perhaps Confirmation), we are tested. If we make the choice for Christ this time of testing helps us to purge ourselves of sinful behavior – the urge to go looking for temptation. The Spiritual Masters tell us that this is the “Purgative Stage” of our faith journey. As painful as it might be, it is a necessary first step. Only after purging ourselves of sinful desires can we then move on to enlightenment (the Illuminative Stage) where we let Jesus’s words wash over us and draw us into a closer union with Him.
These 40 days of Lent provide us the opportunity to purge ourselves of the inclination toward sin. Because of our fallen nature, the Church provides us with an annual opportunity to renew this battle with sin. We know we can be successful because Jesus showed us the way. He left us with the Sacraments to give us the grace we need to do a little better each year.
At the start of Lent, make a firm resolution to struggle against the sins that plague your life. Let the disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help you to build the habits that you need to get closer to the Lord.
Prayer – taking the time to talk to God, following the example of Jesus in the desert. Resolve to spend at least 15 minutes in prayer each day. An easy way to start is to just listen to the Bible in a Year podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz on your morning commute. Let the word of God wash over you and invite you into deeper prayer and relationship.
Fasting – actually pick a day each week where you will go without the regular meals that are part of your routine. Use this little bit of pain to build discipline to say no to temptation. By successfully saying no to something you really want (but don’t need), you learn that you can say no to temptation to sin.
Almsgiving – recognize those in need and resolve to do something to help them. If you are giving up a stop at Starbucks, take that money and donate it to Catholic Relief Services or Catholic Charities. There are other charities that are helping to take care of the people right here in our own community. Search them out and find a way to help. Almsgiving is the first step to charity – love. The type of love that our Lord asks us to show to our neighbor.
Lent is your time to wrestle with sin. Start by celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. That gives you a clean slate and lets you put the past behind you. Then, you can use Lent as an opportunity to make a new beginning.
You are more powerful than the devil because he cannot act without your cooperation. By keeping close to the Lord through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving you have the tools necessary to conquer the temptations that seem to trouble you the most. Once you leave those temptations behind you can focus your eyes on the Lord and allow His words to transform your heart.