From the Pastor
Fr. Mike Comer shares his thoughts on Scripture, spirituality and the challenges of living the Gospel.
the temptation of christ is a lesson for all
March 9, 2025
All four of the Gospels tell of this very strange encounter between Jesus and the devil in the desert. In each, it follows Jesus’ baptism after He has received the Holy Spirit and has been acknowledged by God as His Son. Jesus then goes out into the desert “to be tempted by the devil for 40 days in the desert.” What is happening here?
First of all, 40 days in the desert recalls for us the 40 years that the Hebrews spent wandering in the desert. Jesus is sharing in that Exodus event. In the wandering in the desert, we saw Israel tempted in many ways, and often failing. The most dramatic failure is the building of the golden calf, when they lose faith in Moses (who has spent 40 days on Mount Sinai) believing that he has been killed. But they are also shown to be complaining and “murmuring” against Moses and God at various times. The very reason the Exodus took 40 years was that they did not trust God.
This temptation of Jesus is a testing, to see if He will be faithful to God. He is tempted to use His power for His own comfort and well-being, to turn stones into bread. He rejected selfishness as His purpose in life. He is tempted to become king of all the world, by bowing down to Satan. He rejects political and military power as His purpose in life. He is tempted to cast Himself down from the Temple. He rejects show and tricks to win over disciples, choosing a path of powerlessness and weakness.
First of all, 40 days in the desert recalls for us the 40 years that the Hebrews spent wandering in the desert. Jesus is sharing in that Exodus event. In the wandering in the desert, we saw Israel tempted in many ways, and often failing. The most dramatic failure is the building of the golden calf, when they lose faith in Moses (who has spent 40 days on Mount Sinai) believing that he has been killed. But they are also shown to be complaining and “murmuring” against Moses and God at various times. The very reason the Exodus took 40 years was that they did not trust God.
This temptation of Jesus is a testing, to see if He will be faithful to God. He is tempted to use His power for His own comfort and well-being, to turn stones into bread. He rejected selfishness as His purpose in life. He is tempted to become king of all the world, by bowing down to Satan. He rejects political and military power as His purpose in life. He is tempted to cast Himself down from the Temple. He rejects show and tricks to win over disciples, choosing a path of powerlessness and weakness.
The temptations of Jesus are offered to us as well. What will we do with our lives? Will they be about our own comfort, possessions, and wealth? Will they be about power and position? Will they be about popularity and the esteem of others? Or will we live our lives, as Christ did, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, living according to His purposes and will? Will we, like Jesus, pass the test by choosing rightly, or will we fail as did Israel in the desert, by choosing according to our own selfish desires?
Jesus’ 40 days in the desert is obviously the model for our 40 days of prayer and fasting and almsgiving during the season of Lent. We try to grow closer to God and to live our lives more fully as followers of Christ.
Also, at the end of the season of Lent, we come to the celebration of Easter, the day of the Resurrection of Christ. At Easter Masses, each of us will stand and recommit our lives to following Christ by renewing our baptismal promises. These days of Lent are our preparing ourselves to give ourselves once more to Christ, who is our King and Savior.
—Fr. Mike Comer
Jesus’ 40 days in the desert is obviously the model for our 40 days of prayer and fasting and almsgiving during the season of Lent. We try to grow closer to God and to live our lives more fully as followers of Christ.
Also, at the end of the season of Lent, we come to the celebration of Easter, the day of the Resurrection of Christ. At Easter Masses, each of us will stand and recommit our lives to following Christ by renewing our baptismal promises. These days of Lent are our preparing ourselves to give ourselves once more to Christ, who is our King and Savior.
—Fr. Mike Comer
