First Sunday of Advent
February 25, 2007
In a commentary on the Psalms, St. Augustine writes these words: "...but if he were not tempted he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation." (Repeat the quote.)
Today, in the liturgy, the Church puts before us the words of St. Luke that describe one of the most human moments or experiences in the life of Jesus, the human being that he was. Luke writes about an event that obviously was passed on to him by the other disciples and perhaps some of the apostles — remember St. Luke was NOT one of the twelve apostles ... he came along a little later.
What temptation is for Jesus as well as you and me is a challenge to us. To be faithful is to be true to our interiority ... the very beingness, you might say, that is me, that is each of you, that is Jesus in this particular event of temptation. Victory over temptation is what some philosophers and theologians have called "moral self-transcendence." A big word we might say. It simply means for me that I have the strength and purpose to overcome the passions in my life that pull me from God.
This strength is in truth an experience of conversion. It is a turning from something to something usually the opposite. In this season of Lent we look to our lives, especially how we have lived with one another and our God. Lenten reflection should bring us to an examination of our temptations to determine if we have had the moral fortitude or "self-transcendence" that keeps us on track with our God.
Conversion is a gradual process. It is not too often a single moment of awareness. Even St. Paul, whom most of us associate with conversion, was not converted, was not able to achieve his own self-transcendence in a single moment. He went off in his blindness for a few days before he was able to open his natural eyes as well as the eyes of his soul. It is the conversion of the humanity of people like Jesus and Paul who bring us into the divinity of God the Father. Catch that: through the humanity of some people we are brought to the divinity of God the Father.
One question we might ask ourselves about Jesus’ ability to overcome the temptations of the Satan as described in the gospel: where did Jesus get this insight, this power to overcome the devil? To answer, "Oh, don’t forget he was God," is really almost a denial of the divine plan that God had for his Son and consequentially for all of us. In our language today we might put it this way: "you can’t have it both ways." How could Jesus come to earth, live with us and among us, just like us in everything but sin and not feel the fullness of temptation? If he didn’t, then he really doesn’t seem to be fulfilling God’s plan that was a gift to us. So, back to the question: where did Jesus get this insight, this ability to overcome temptation?
Recall what Jesus had been doing just prior to the event we call the temptations. He had been alone in the desert for forty days. Alone? Well, not exactly. He was without his friends but he was in prayer with God. It was during that time that he grew psychologically, spiritually. He grew to know God the Father as the pearl of great price. He learned in that desert experience through the gift of the Holy Spirit. It was in those moments of prayer throughout his life that Jesus was actually experiencing through the graces of the Holy Spirit a special bonding with Yahweh, with God the Father.
It is no different for you or me. In our own humanity we have our ups and downs, our haltings and swervings. We encounter moments when we need conversion for giving in to various temptations in our lives. Through our taking time to be present with God in prayer, especially in the season of Lent when Christians throughout the world take time to pray — a gift for all of us — we are opening ourselves to the graces of the Holy Spirit.
Just as Jesus, in his moments of reflections and prayers of praise to the Father, learned that God had a plan — the promise to Israel through a suffering Messiah — and through these experiences of prayer Jesus came to realize a most powerful reality: "I am the one."
He had to confront the Suffering Messiah picture and the realization that he was the one called to that mission. We are no different. In prayer and reflection when we open our hearts to God, we are most likely going to realize what our mission is. In many instances we might have the same feeling that Jesus had: this is what God wants of me. This is what the Holy Spirit is teaching me through this praying.
Maybe this is why many people are genuinely afraid of prayer.
It is not an unusual experience to learn that a person is having difficulty with prayer. So often, in prayer, we are led, like Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, to a deeper awareness of who we are. Likewise when we are in prayer, like Jesus we might come to the same kind of experience: Am I the one God wants to do this? Is this really what he wants of me? This is what drives many away from quiet and prayer: fearfulness of what the vocation might be! But we cannot forget that the Holy Spirit is with us just as with Jesus in his humanity, struggling to accept what he was learning about himself in his prayer and reflection.
Let me conclude here again recalling the word of St. Augustine which, hopefully, now have more meaning for you.
"...but if he were not tempted he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation."
Is God trying to get through to you? Look at the temptations that are keeping you from God. Look at Jesus. He was tempted and taught us that we can overcome the temptations as well.
February 25, 2007
In a commentary on the Psalms, St. Augustine writes these words: "...but if he were not tempted he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation." (Repeat the quote.)
Today, in the liturgy, the Church puts before us the words of St. Luke that describe one of the most human moments or experiences in the life of Jesus, the human being that he was. Luke writes about an event that obviously was passed on to him by the other disciples and perhaps some of the apostles — remember St. Luke was NOT one of the twelve apostles ... he came along a little later.
What temptation is for Jesus as well as you and me is a challenge to us. To be faithful is to be true to our interiority ... the very beingness, you might say, that is me, that is each of you, that is Jesus in this particular event of temptation. Victory over temptation is what some philosophers and theologians have called "moral self-transcendence." A big word we might say. It simply means for me that I have the strength and purpose to overcome the passions in my life that pull me from God.
This strength is in truth an experience of conversion. It is a turning from something to something usually the opposite. In this season of Lent we look to our lives, especially how we have lived with one another and our God. Lenten reflection should bring us to an examination of our temptations to determine if we have had the moral fortitude or "self-transcendence" that keeps us on track with our God.
Conversion is a gradual process. It is not too often a single moment of awareness. Even St. Paul, whom most of us associate with conversion, was not converted, was not able to achieve his own self-transcendence in a single moment. He went off in his blindness for a few days before he was able to open his natural eyes as well as the eyes of his soul. It is the conversion of the humanity of people like Jesus and Paul who bring us into the divinity of God the Father. Catch that: through the humanity of some people we are brought to the divinity of God the Father.
One question we might ask ourselves about Jesus’ ability to overcome the temptations of the Satan as described in the gospel: where did Jesus get this insight, this power to overcome the devil? To answer, "Oh, don’t forget he was God," is really almost a denial of the divine plan that God had for his Son and consequentially for all of us. In our language today we might put it this way: "you can’t have it both ways." How could Jesus come to earth, live with us and among us, just like us in everything but sin and not feel the fullness of temptation? If he didn’t, then he really doesn’t seem to be fulfilling God’s plan that was a gift to us. So, back to the question: where did Jesus get this insight, this ability to overcome temptation?
Recall what Jesus had been doing just prior to the event we call the temptations. He had been alone in the desert for forty days. Alone? Well, not exactly. He was without his friends but he was in prayer with God. It was during that time that he grew psychologically, spiritually. He grew to know God the Father as the pearl of great price. He learned in that desert experience through the gift of the Holy Spirit. It was in those moments of prayer throughout his life that Jesus was actually experiencing through the graces of the Holy Spirit a special bonding with Yahweh, with God the Father.
It is no different for you or me. In our own humanity we have our ups and downs, our haltings and swervings. We encounter moments when we need conversion for giving in to various temptations in our lives. Through our taking time to be present with God in prayer, especially in the season of Lent when Christians throughout the world take time to pray — a gift for all of us — we are opening ourselves to the graces of the Holy Spirit.
Just as Jesus, in his moments of reflections and prayers of praise to the Father, learned that God had a plan — the promise to Israel through a suffering Messiah — and through these experiences of prayer Jesus came to realize a most powerful reality: "I am the one."
He had to confront the Suffering Messiah picture and the realization that he was the one called to that mission. We are no different. In prayer and reflection when we open our hearts to God, we are most likely going to realize what our mission is. In many instances we might have the same feeling that Jesus had: this is what God wants of me. This is what the Holy Spirit is teaching me through this praying.
Maybe this is why many people are genuinely afraid of prayer.
It is not an unusual experience to learn that a person is having difficulty with prayer. So often, in prayer, we are led, like Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, to a deeper awareness of who we are. Likewise when we are in prayer, like Jesus we might come to the same kind of experience: Am I the one God wants to do this? Is this really what he wants of me? This is what drives many away from quiet and prayer: fearfulness of what the vocation might be! But we cannot forget that the Holy Spirit is with us just as with Jesus in his humanity, struggling to accept what he was learning about himself in his prayer and reflection.
Let me conclude here again recalling the word of St. Augustine which, hopefully, now have more meaning for you.
"...but if he were not tempted he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation."
Is God trying to get through to you? Look at the temptations that are keeping you from God. Look at Jesus. He was tempted and taught us that we can overcome the temptations as well.
