In this desert scene, the Lord Jesus faces down three fundamental areas of temptation and shows us how to do so too.
Sunday, Feb. 22, is the First Sunday of Lent. Mass readings: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17; Romans 5:12-19 or Romans 5:12, 17-19; Matthew 4:1-11.
In this desert scene, the Lord Jesus faces down three fundamental areas of temptation.
The devil encourages Jesus to turn stones into bread.
Jesus rebukes the devil, saying, “Man does not live on bread alone.” What does this teach us? There are more important things than bread, creature comforts and indulgence.
Taking Jesus up a high mountain, the devil shows him all the nations and people of the Earth and promises them to him — if Jesus will but bow down and worship him. This is a temptation to both power and popularity. Doing almost anything to attain power or popularity is a way of bowing before the devil because it demonstrates that one is willing to sin in order to advance or fit in. But Jesus says, “You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” The real solution: Fear the Lord. When
