Lent

First Sunday of Lent

“Lead us not into temptation,” a line from the Our Father, has always disturbed me. Why would God want to lead us into temptation? The reality is that God cannot be led into temptation, nor lead us into temptation (CCC #2846). Some scholars hold that the prayer asked God that we not fall into temptation.

In Genesis 3:5-6, the snake tempted Eve, and the scriptures were vague if Adam was present or not but do say the fruit on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was tempting. Literally, from the beginning of creation to the present, humans have been tempted to sin, to disobey God. This first temptation wasn’t just about food, but control, as Satan said, “You will be like gods.”

This is the point of today’s readings for the First Sunday of Lent, which are always taken from either Matthew, Mark, or Luke. Today Matthew lists the three temptations symbolic of our human struggles. From stones to bread represents our struggle with reliance on God versus self-sufficiency. Jesus being tempted to throw himself off the parapet of the Temple represents the struggle of satisfying our physical desires with doing right in the eyes of God. Worshipping Satan is the temptation of lust for power (seekerofchrist.com).

In taking human flesh, Jesus showed us that it is humanly possible to resist temptation and not sin. Scriptures say that Jesus was tempted by all things and did not sin; he knew our struggles. The Letter to the Hebrews says, “Tempted in every way, yet without sin” (4:15). It’s not easy to resist temptation, but a lot easier than the cross. It comes down to faith in God and loving as Jesus did. Lent is about growing in our ability to resist temptation and lead holier lives.

headshot of Fr. Thomas Saucier, O.P.