First Sunday of Lent (2)

Temptation and trial

road to perdition

…and yet.... road to salvation

There! road of the desert going back easily to Egypt and going forward harshly to Holy Land

how we face is where it takes

temptation sure to come (Lk 17:1)

question is our response not temptation

back to ease of slavery of Egypt or defiantly to freedom

brave the sound of the howling wind of desert

Its what we do with it

temptation is just that, suggestion, prying at the inner soul of your heart trying to invade,

ever so strong as it is, you do NOT have to consent

1 Cor 10:13. ‘God will not let you be tempted beyond your strength’ (ALWAYS remember this)

allows 4 everlasting glory you and loved ones

NOT defined by temptation, and tempt not sinning,

its but the road

after all Christ was tempted, but did not sin

Devil nothing more than define by temptation

lying to you r ‘unbeliever’ b/c tempted with feelings of doubt

lying ‘glutton’ b/c like unhealthy food

lying ‘adulterer’ b/c tempted by other people

lying ‘sodomite’ b/c tempted to same sex.

in your temptation is not your identity but opportunity to embrace your real identity

No, if you baptized, your identity is a child of the Sacred Tetragrammaton, a child of the Most High God

all tempted, each own ways. 1 cor 10:13

either choose to define self by temptation, or reach out for our promised identity

and this season, above all, the Christian (weakest to strongest) draws swords together

holy armaments of fasting, prayers, and almsgiving

We are at war

Ephesians 6:12 battle not agaisnt flesh and blood, not physical but spiritual

and spiritual infinitely more important than any earthly war

Sirach 2:1 “if you come forward to serve the Lord, remain in justice and in fear, and prepare yourself for temptations”

not yet in paradise, but wondering in the desert for 40 years,

certainly

oasis

tents to shield

bread of heaven to delight and nourish, but make no mistake we are at war.

mistake t paradise will ever be here, trick of slave master

Is temptation only a source PAIN ENDURE?

in temptation CCC 2847 we should give thanks God b/c enemy has to reveal our weakness to strike

not only can shore up the weakness but strike out and use it to advantage

roar of dragon to show w/ fight should be

and this is our mission this Lent, to ride out and meet the enemy

Take account now, where do you face temptations still

there is where you don’t just defend, as you should always, but now strike out against it

find your mind clouded with distractions?

don’t just resist, look for ways to improve it (give up all media for Lent, take up silent prayer)

find yourself obsessed with some earthly good

don’t just resist it like always should, things related to it for Lent

Conclusion

We are in Lent

not yet in our homeland, we are wondering in the desert still

let this Lent be a step on the road not back to Egypt but to the Holy Land.

Notes

Me

reversed the waters to point up with the bow (now they will be entry into life)

baptism?

Why tempted?

repent: metanoia (mind)

Spirit drove

don’t put Lord to test

don’t cast self off ledge

Tripartite soul

Commentators

Chrysostom

Spirit drove, so see should not put ourselves in temptation