Gospel: The Temptation of Jesus

The First Sunday of Lent recalls the temptation of Jesus for forty days and forty nights as lifted from the Gospel According to St Matthew, where it was told that when Jesus was hungry after the long fasting, the Devil tempted Him by daring him to turn stones into bread, by telling him to throw Himself from the parapet of the Temple for the Angels to save Him, and by offering him all the kingdoms of the world.

What does this temptation tell us? Why did the Father allow Jesus to be tempted this way? We all know what the Devil used to tempt Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. But where our first parents failed, Jesus succeeded. It has always been the Devil's strategy to sow doubt about the goodness of God. Jesus has a Messianic mission to fulfill, and His suffering has a purpose. God did not intend to harm Him, but it is part of God's divine plan, and his sufferings are part of it.

Just like Jesus, we are also tempted in many ways. And the way the Devil works is pretty simple: he will sow doubt and fear in you. Sometimes, a lot of people think that if they are near to Jesus, their life would be perfect. But that is not the truth. In fact, when we are in God, the Devil will tempt us in many ways. A lot of Saints have been tempted by the Devil because they were faithful to God.

Peace is not really about the absence of conflict, but the presence of Jesus. The journey will not be really easy, but God only asks us one thing: when we are faithful to Him, we will overcome all temptations.

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Picture from Pixabay.