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Vocation Meditation -
1st Sunday of Lent, 2011
Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his Angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’”.
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord you God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly Angels came and waited on him.
This most sacred story has its source in Jesus Himself. We need to remind ourselves that in the wilderness, Jesus was alone and no one was with him when this struggle was fought out. It is only because Jesus Himself must have told his disciples about this spiritual autobiography!
We approach this with a unique and special reverence because here, Jesus is laying bare his inmost heart and soul telling us what inner struggles He went through after His baptism and before He launched Himself to public life as the Father’s beloved Son sent to fulfill God’s saving plan for the world.
Jesus’ story unveils to us lessons from His own experience of temptations. As we struggle with our own temptations, He can help all of us who are tempted:
- To use God’s gifts selfishly: “What can I make for myself out of this gift?” or “What can I do for others with this gift?"
- To attract people by the offer of sensational acts: “Will I take risks to enhance my prestige?” or “Will I take risks in order to be true to God?”
- To save the world through compromise: “Will I compromise with evil and take the short cut to victory?” or “Will I accept God’s demands to accept the redeeming cross that meant slow yet promises final victory?”
Vocation Challenge:
“Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted…”
How vigilant and trusting am I to be led and be taught by the Spirit during temptations?
Dear God,
You lead me to my own unique desert experience as you prepare me to take on my vocation path. My gifts, my commitments, my dreams could offer me wild opportunities to acquire personal satisfaction, worldly fame and instant success. But my vocation is not about myself. It is about You and me in You. Lead me, teach me and make of me a faithful learner of Jesus’ desert experience. His path of victory will be my victory. Amen.
For the full Gospel reading for this Sunday, visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops site.