Gospel Reflection Luke 4:1-13

 Luke 4:1-13

The temptation of Christ

First, we see that Jesus follows the leading of the Spirit. He is led into the wilderness. Sometimes this will happen to us as well. We go through a ‘wilderness’ in our lives. This can take many shapes. It could be a season of sorrow. It could be a season where we do not see much fruit in our lives. It could be a season of temptation, where, in every direction, there is a distraction or off-ramp from the straight and narrow path. Nonetheless, we follow the leading of the Spirit. We trust because He loves us. We trust because He sees the beginning from the end. Perhaps there is an oasis soon ahead of us on our desert journey, perhaps not. Still, what other good choice do we have? As the lepers in 2 Kings 7:3 tell us, “Why sit here until we die...” Or, as Simon Peters says to Jesus “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life…”(John 6:68).

Much has been said about how Satan tempted Jesus. The food, the power, the love of the Father. Jesus remains steadfast throughout, showing us the way. I think Jesus was attacked from every angle and perseveres through the spiritual onslaught. The victory Christ achieves here in the temptation, and on the Cross, redounds to us. Because He won, we win if we remain in Him. We have the way of victory over the evil one. We have the way of victory over our own foibles. Sticking close to the word of God, remaining steadfast in prayer, holding firm to our eternal calling. No good of this world compares to the life of the age, at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

It helps to practice the spiritual disciples so that we are prepared for the desert journey. There is something we are each called to in our own lives and vocations. Preparation is essential. In the desert, it is easy to lose direction. It is easy to turn back to Egypt, as most of the Israelites wanted. It is easy to despair. Yet, if we ask God to help us, He will answer. We can ask God to help us place no good of the world above Him. We can ask Him to help us discipline our hearts, minds, and bodies so that we can withstand temptations. We can be ready when the Spirit leads us into the desert.