Temptations in the desert, every day

Biblical reflections* by Gigliola Milani of the Community MCC the circle

The temptations accompany us every day in the deserts of our existences, when we get bored more, here is a temptation: what is more normal, for a smoker who has to wait for someone on the street, to turn on one, two cigarettes? Or even in the solitude of one's home, between one small matter and another. Or, when we are already under the covers at night, a sense of emptiness assails us in the stomach, which is actually a void in the soul, a person who is not there, a restlessness that jump out of the bed and open the fridge. I speak of temptations and vices all in all relatively light, but we know well what can lead to that void that leads to much more destructive temptations, or simply a desire to experiment, a temptation that peeps in a life that seems to flow smoothly, without serious problems.

Jesus in the desert, after a long fasting, does not want to tear himself in front of the open fridge, simply wants to satisfy hunger, as it is right, after his period of reflection and meditation is over. Satan, however, exaggerates and even proposes to transform the stones into bread, but as we know, Jesus did not signs for himself, for selfish reasons, but always for those who needed him: later he will do more than transforming the stones into loaves, but that day he will not be alone, he will face thousands of hungry people. Furthermore, not only bread lives man, that is to say that prayer and the relationship with God have priority, especially in a place like the desert.

I don't know if they exist stronger and more serious temptations than those of money and power, also because those who are generally devoured from it do not think they have fallen into a terrible vice. It is the second temptation to which Jesus is subjected, and it is Satan who proposes to possess everything and lose his soul. But for a Jew like Jesus, power and kingdoms are of God, and material power can be managed to the maximum by blind and deaf characters such as sadducts or pagans like the Romans. Moreover, his kingdom is not of this world.

Then Satan brings Jesus to the top of Israel, on the highest point of the maximum material expression of the Jewish faith, the temple. In that sacred place, Satan comes to mention the Scriptures, but if Jesus must demonstrate something in the world, it is the love of the Father, and he will be on the mountain of the beatitudes with the people, not alone on a pinnacle, where his presence and preaching would have no use.

We all have our internal Satan, because the shadow areas are within us, not outside, but life is an exciting journey precisely because there is no day when we cannot improve ourselves, take a step towards the realization of ourselves. Life is a barefoot journey on a stony ground, but what a joy in going, especially now that spring returns! Easter is nothing more than this: a symbol of life that seemed lost, and instead trims. In spite of the temptations we can give in to, cultivating hope is one of the strongest and underestimated messages of Christianity.

Matteo 4: 1-11

Then Jesus was led by the spirit in the desert to be attempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter then approached him and said to him: "If you are the son of God, of that these stones become bread." But he replied: "It is written:

Not by bread alone shall man live,
But of every word that comes out of the mouth of God ».

Then the devil led him with him in the Holy City, he deposed him on the cinacle of the temple and said to him: "If you are the son of God, thrown down, since he is written:

Its angels will give orders in you,
and they will support you with their hands,
Because he doesn't have your foot against a stone ».

Jesus replied: "It is also written:

Do not try the Lord your God ».

Again the devil led him with him on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world with their glory and said to him: "All these things I will give you, if, prostrating you, you will worship me". But Jesus replied: «I launched, Satan! It is written:

Loves the Lord your God
and only to make you worship ».

Then the devil left him and here angels approached him and served him.

* The biblical passage is taken from the Bible of Jerusalem/CEI.