With the commemoration of Ash Wednesday a few days ago, the liturgy now moves to the first of the Sundays of Lent, leading to Holy Week and the Easter Triduum. The Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent (22 February) shares the account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.
The fast of forty days and forty nights is an echo of the forty years that the people of Israel wandered in the wilderness after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt, prior to entering the promised land. An echo highlighting the author’s theme of Jesus as the new Moses. When confronted with each of the temptations, Jesus responds with a reference to the Hebrew Scriptures, highlighting Matthew’s keen interest in showing that Jesus is the Messiah anticipated in these texts.
The forty days of the text is also a foreshadowing, for Christians, of the six weeks of Lent where fasting, abstinence and almsgiving are central themes.
The temptations themselves are essentially a challenge to Jesus’ integrity and fidelity to his mission. By rejecting each of the devil’s overtures he remains true to himself and his mission of proclaiming God’s Kingdom.
Gospel Text: Matthew 4:1-11
Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, after which he was very hungry, and the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves.’
But he replied, ‘Scripture says:
Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
The devil then took him to the holy city and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God’ he said ‘throw yourself down; for scripture says:
He will put you in his angels’ charge, and they will support you on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’
Jesus said to him, ‘Scripture also says:
You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’
Next, taking him to a very high mountain, the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. ‘I will give you all these’ he said, ‘if you fall at my feet and worship me.’
Then Jesus replied, ‘Be off, Satan! For scripture says:
You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.’
Then the devil left him, and angels appeared and looked after him.
See
What is the significance of the forty days of Jesus’ fast?
How does the setting of the wilderness underpin the meaning of the text?
What does Jesus’ use of scripture highlight for the reader?
Judge
What forms do temptations take in my own experience?
What types of temptations are increasingly evident in our society?
How do these temptations seek to undermine my own integrity?
Act
What actions can I take to avoid contributing to situations that dehumanise others?
What steps can I take to uphold human dignity in my own spheres of influence?
How can I act to challenge broader social factors that diminish human dignity?
Gospel Text https://www.universalis.com/Australia/1100/mass.htm
Further Reading: