I have a dream that we, as a world, recognize the gravity of our collective spiritual condition. In this dream, the heads of governments insist that we all follow strict protocols to avoid temptation as well as seducing others into sin. There would be 24/7 coverage, with updates on our progress, interviews with priests and religious, proclamation of scripture by moral and biblical experts, and stories of recovery and courage from the lives of the saints related by hagiographers. I dream of many rushing to prepare the test kits of examinations of conscience and an army of priests and bishops deployed to hear confessions around the clock. Well, you get the point.

It is certainly not wrong to look for a cure for the latest virus. I only wish we were as concerned for our spiritual and moral well-being. Jesus says, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt 10:28). We do face physical threats in this world, but they are not our worst enemy. Moral plagues and sinful viruses can damage us eternally.

In times like these, when the temptation to fear death is so strong, resist the devil and run to God. Dwell in the shelter of the Most High. Be sheltered by Him from the scourge that lays waste at noon and the plague that prowls in the darkness (cf Ps 91). Make your first goal to stay spiritually alive and flee anything that might lead to mortal sin. If you do this, then even if you were to die, by dying in faith you would receive a maximum promotion (likely through Purgatory) to the heavenly realms. Be strong! Fear not!  The devil is a liar; he wants us to fear lesser things so that we ignore the more serious. Wash your hands, but don’t forget the spiritual version:   Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).

I have a dream that we, as a world, recognize the gravity of our collective spiritual condition. In this dream, the heads of governments insist that we all follow strict protocols to avoid temptation as well as seducing others into sin. There would be 24/7 coverage, with updates on our progress, interviews with priests and religious, proclamation of scripture by moral and biblical experts, and stories of recovery and courage from the lives of the saints related by hagiographers. I dream of many rushing to prepare the test kits of examinations of conscience and an army of priests and bishops deployed to hear confessions around the clock. Well, you get the point.

It is certainly not wrong to look for a cure for the latest virus. I only wish we were as concerned for our spiritual and moral well-being. Jesus says, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt 10:28). We do face physical threats in this world, but they are not our worst enemy. Moral plagues and sinful viruses can damage us eternally.

In times like these, when the temptation to fear death is so strong, resist the devil and run to God. Dwell in the shelter of the Most High. Be sheltered by Him from the scourge that lays waste at noon and the plague that prowls in the darkness (cf Ps 91). Make your first goal to stay spiritually alive and flee anything that might lead to mortal sin. If you do this, then even if you were to die, by dying in faith you would receive a maximum promotion (likely through Purgatory) to the heavenly realms. Be strong! Fear not!  The devil is a liar; he wants us to fear lesser things so that we ignore the more serious. Wash your hands, but don’t forget the spiritual version:   Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).

homily by Saint Basil the Great, bishop

Boast only of the Lord

The wise man must not boast of his wisdom, nor the strong man of his strength, nor the rich man of his riches. What then is the right kind of boasting? What is the source of man’s greatness? Scripture says: The man who boasts must boast of this, that he knows and understands that I am the Lord. Here is man’s greatness, here is man’s glory and majesty: to know in truth what is great, to hold fast to it, and to seek glory from the Lord of glory. The Apostle tells us: The man who boasts must boast of the Lord. He has just said: Christ was appointed by God to be our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, our redemption, so that, as it is written, a man who boasts must boast of the Lord.

  Boasting of God is perfect and complete when we take no pride in our own righteousness but acknowledge that we are utterly lacking in true righteousness and have been made righteous only by faith in Christ.

  Paul boasts of the fact that he holds his own righteousness in contempt and seeks the righteousness in faith that comes through Christ and is from God. He wants only to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to have fellowship with his sufferings by taking on the likeness of his death, in the hope that somehow he may arrive at the resurrection of the dead.

  Here we see all overweening pride laid low. Humanity, there is nothing left for you to boast of, for your boasting and hope lie in putting to death all that is your own and seeking the future life that is in Christ. Since we have its first fruits we are already in its midst, living entirely in the grace and gift of God.

  It is God who is active within us, giving us both the will and the achievement, in accordance with his good purpose. Through his Spirit, God also reveals his wisdom in the plan he has preordained for our glory.

  God gives power and strength in our labours. I have toiled harder than all the others, Paul says, but it is not I but the grace of God, which is with me.

  God rescues us from dangers beyond all human expectation. We felt within ourselves that we had received the sentence of death, so that we might not trust ourselves but in God, who raises the dead; from so great a danger did he deliver us, and does deliver us; we hope in him, for he will deliver us again.

homily by Saint Basil the Great, bishop

Boast only of the Lord

The wise man must not boast of his wisdom, nor the strong man of his strength, nor the rich man of his riches. What then is the right kind of boasting? What is the source of man’s greatness? Scripture says: The man who boasts must boast of this, that he knows and understands that I am the Lord. Here is man’s greatness, here is man’s glory and majesty: to know in truth what is great, to hold fast to it, and to seek glory from the Lord of glory. The Apostle tells us: The man who boasts must boast of the Lord. He has just said: Christ was appointed by God to be our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, our redemption, so that, as it is written, a man who boasts must boast of the Lord.

  Boasting of God is perfect and complete when we take no pride in our own righteousness but acknowledge that we are utterly lacking in true righteousness and have been made righteous only by faith in Christ.

  Paul boasts of the fact that he holds his own righteousness in contempt and seeks the righteousness in faith that comes through Christ and is from God. He wants only to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to have fellowship with his sufferings by taking on the likeness of his death, in the hope that somehow he may arrive at the resurrection of the dead.

  Here we see all overweening pride laid low. Humanity, there is nothing left for you to boast of, for your boasting and hope lie in putting to death all that is your own and seeking the future life that is in Christ. Since we have its first fruits we are already in its midst, living entirely in the grace and gift of God.

  It is God who is active within us, giving us both the will and the achievement, in accordance with his good purpose. Through his Spirit, God also reveals his wisdom in the plan he has preordained for our glory.

  God gives power and strength in our labours. I have toiled harder than all the others, Paul says, but it is not I but the grace of God, which is with me.

  God rescues us from dangers beyond all human expectation. We felt within ourselves that we had received the sentence of death, so that we might not trust ourselves but in God, who raises the dead; from so great a danger did he deliver us, and does deliver us; we hope in him, for he will deliver us again.

Every day we awake with a purpose to the day and a plan to get it done. We don’t wake up in the morning saying, “I think I’ll do something really stupid today!” We have an end-goal for every choice and believe that our choice will get us to that goal.

The exception, of course, is when it comes to our salvation! We are comfortable with our weaknesses, even the problems or crises in life because we are accustomed to it. People just don’t like change, and the call to holiness is precisely that: change.

Once the desire to change is embraced, it can be difficult to keep our eye on the prize. The cycle of shame can keep a person convinced of their shortcomings and unworthiness. Looking into the mirror held up by the spirit of shame, all we see is our faults. We make our brokenness our identity.

Then Lent arrives, and we are sure we will conquer these shortcomings once and for all. Unfortunately, in the wrestling with our weakness and sin, we can focus so much on overcoming the faults we aren’t really paying attention to God. It can help to know we are not alone in this battle! St. Francis of Assisi once shared with Brother Leo to not be over-focused on the purity of our soul, for our act of thanksgiving glorifying God is the truly pure heart:

“And when you are thus turned toward God, above all do not turn back to yourself at all. Don’t ask where you stand with God. The sadness of not being perfect and finding yourself a sinner is still a human sentiment, too human. You must lift your gaze higher much higher. There is God, the immensity of God and His unalterable splendor. The pure heart is the one which does not cease adoring the living and true Lord. It takes a profound interest in the very life of God and it is capable, in the midst of its miseries, of vibrating to the eternal innocence and to the eternal joy of God…Holiness is not an accomplishment of the self, nor a fullness which one gives oneself. It is, first of all, an emptiness which one discovers and accepts, and to which God comes filling the measure that the person opens himself to His fullness. Our nothingness, you see, if it is accepted, becomes the free space where God is still able to create…But the purity is not obtained by force of arms and by being grasping…keep nothing of yourself…renounce everything heavy, even the weight of our faults. Have nothing more than the glory of God…Its desire for perfection is changed into a simple and pure desire for God…God is. That is enough.”

Our nothingness is God’s creative space!

The point is neither to ignore, and continue to wallow in, one’s attachments and self- centeredness, nor to be so overly fixated on overcoming them that you feel it necessary to be perfect. As we grow closer to God, our desire for Him grows too. The eyes of the soul open and see its imperfections quite clearly. It is an easy trap for your efforts in overcoming imperfections to become the center of your attention. St. Ignatius, like St. Francis, saw ingratitude as the greatest sin and felt giving thanks and glory to God was always the first priority; it is the first step in the examen. The emptiness of which St. Francis speaks isn’t suppressing emotions or memories and pretending all is perfect. It is a detachment from the need to be perfect so that our efforts to reject temptation and overcome weaknesses are ordered towards loving and desiring God.

Looking at God looking at me…

When we turn and see God, we find He is already concerning Himself with us. We must keep our destination as our focal point. God is our destination. This requires a true surrender of the will; rejecting temptations and especially overcoming preferences are necessary to surrender. This is why the other practices outside of prayer are necessary. The first step to changing habits is to monitor yourself during the day and notice when you’ve lost your peace. Ascetical practices such as giving up unnecessary ‘treats’ (food, entertainment, knowledge gluttony) are important to getting over oneself. Also important, however, is giving up preferences because that is where our ego lies— our reaction to not having food exactly to our liking or watching the TV show we want to see is almost guaranteed to lead to unkind thoughts or words. The confession list grows!

We can be so wrapped up in overcoming a weakness that we grasp onto it instead of God; we subconsciously keep control of it. An ugly cycle ensues: frustration at not overcoming the bad habit yet giving into it time and again. For those with scruples, the shame cycle imprisons them too. For anyone, it is like being a hamster on the wheel and unable to get off—by the way, hamsters can actually die because they are unable to stop. So can we spiritually.

Which leads to Lent. Wouldn’t change be easier if you were truly convinced of God’s love for you, and that you are lovable, and that you are worthy of it? We cannot see it. Our vision is clouded. Lent serves to give us new eyes to see. Instead of planning a complicated Lenten practice of giving up, taking on, etc., the most profound change can come from simplicity. A simple practice of asking yourself throughout the day “why does this matter” is all it takes to uncover how much of what you do is focused on you and really shouldn’t matter at all. If this is taken on as the one and only endeavor for Lent, and no others, it would be sufficient to change your life profoundly and permanently.

May this Lent bring you to a more permanent discipline of vulnerable honesty with God so that His covenant already inscribed in your heart becomes your lived existence.

Lord Jesus, embrace me in this very moment and never let go. You are my King and Savior, and I am yours, belonging to you and called to bring people to you, their salvation. Give me respite and courage in the struggles. Teach me abandonment into your arms. May my heart forever profess “nothing matters but Jesus.”  Fill me with your spirit and create in me a docile will, a clean heart, inspired speech, and a burning desire to be Love to others. Protect me from the enemy and give me intimate knowledge of you so I follow you alone. I consecrate to you and to the Blessed Virgin Mary all thoughts, speech, and works so that I may be your voice, your instrument, your vessel of Grace. I profess my desire that my life be a living praise of you. I thank you with all affection. Amen

Every day we awake with a purpose to the day and a plan to get it done. We don’t wake up in the morning saying, “I think I’ll do something really stupid today!” We have an end-goal for every choice and believe that our choice will get us to that goal.

The exception, of course, is when it comes to our salvation! We are comfortable with our weaknesses, even the problems or crises in life because we are accustomed to it. People just don’t like change, and the call to holiness is precisely that: change.

Once the desire to change is embraced, it can be difficult to keep our eye on the prize. The cycle of shame can keep a person convinced of their shortcomings and unworthiness. Looking into the mirror held up by the spirit of shame, all we see is our faults. We make our brokenness our identity.

Then Lent arrives, and we are sure we will conquer these shortcomings once and for all. Unfortunately, in the wrestling with our weakness and sin, we can focus so much on overcoming the faults we aren’t really paying attention to God. It can help to know we are not alone in this battle! St. Francis of Assisi once shared with Brother Leo to not be over-focused on the purity of our soul, for our act of thanksgiving glorifying God is the truly pure heart:

“And when you are thus turned toward God, above all do not turn back to yourself at all. Don’t ask where you stand with God. The sadness of not being perfect and finding yourself a sinner is still a human sentiment, too human. You must lift your gaze higher much higher. There is God, the immensity of God and His unalterable splendor. The pure heart is the one which does not cease adoring the living and true Lord. It takes a profound interest in the very life of God and it is capable, in the midst of its miseries, of vibrating to the eternal innocence and to the eternal joy of God…Holiness is not an accomplishment of the self, nor a fullness which one gives oneself. It is, first of all, an emptiness which one discovers and accepts, and to which God comes filling the measure that the person opens himself to His fullness. Our nothingness, you see, if it is accepted, becomes the free space where God is still able to create…But the purity is not obtained by force of arms and by being grasping…keep nothing of yourself…renounce everything heavy, even the weight of our faults. Have nothing more than the glory of God…Its desire for perfection is changed into a simple and pure desire for God…God is. That is enough.”

Our nothingness is God’s creative space!

The point is neither to ignore, and continue to wallow in, one’s attachments and self- centeredness, nor to be so overly fixated on overcoming them that you feel it necessary to be perfect. As we grow closer to God, our desire for Him grows too. The eyes of the soul open and see its imperfections quite clearly. It is an easy trap for your efforts in overcoming imperfections to become the center of your attention. St. Ignatius, like St. Francis, saw ingratitude as the greatest sin and felt giving thanks and glory to God was always the first priority; it is the first step in the examen. The emptiness of which St. Francis speaks isn’t suppressing emotions or memories and pretending all is perfect. It is a detachment from the need to be perfect so that our efforts to reject temptation and overcome weaknesses are ordered towards loving and desiring God.

Looking at God looking at me…

When we turn and see God, we find He is already concerning Himself with us. We must keep our destination as our focal point. God is our destination. This requires a true surrender of the will; rejecting temptations and especially overcoming preferences are necessary to surrender. This is why the other practices outside of prayer are necessary. The first step to changing habits is to monitor yourself during the day and notice when you’ve lost your peace. Ascetical practices such as giving up unnecessary ‘treats’ (food, entertainment, knowledge gluttony) are important to getting over oneself. Also important, however, is giving up preferences because that is where our ego lies— our reaction to not having food exactly to our liking or watching the TV show we want to see is almost guaranteed to lead to unkind thoughts or words. The confession list grows!

We can be so wrapped up in overcoming a weakness that we grasp onto it instead of God; we subconsciously keep control of it. An ugly cycle ensues: frustration at not overcoming the bad habit yet giving into it time and again. For those with scruples, the shame cycle imprisons them too. For anyone, it is like being a hamster on the wheel and unable to get off—by the way, hamsters can actually die because they are unable to stop. So can we spiritually.

Which leads to Lent. Wouldn’t change be easier if you were truly convinced of God’s love for you, and that you are lovable, and that you are worthy of it? We cannot see it. Our vision is clouded. Lent serves to give us new eyes to see. Instead of planning a complicated Lenten practice of giving up, taking on, etc., the most profound change can come from simplicity. A simple practice of asking yourself throughout the day “why does this matter” is all it takes to uncover how much of what you do is focused on you and really shouldn’t matter at all. If this is taken on as the one and only endeavor for Lent, and no others, it would be sufficient to change your life profoundly and permanently.

May this Lent bring you to a more permanent discipline of vulnerable honesty with God so that His covenant already inscribed in your heart becomes your lived existence.

Lord Jesus, embrace me in this very moment and never let go. You are my King and Savior, and I am yours, belonging to you and called to bring people to you, their salvation. Give me respite and courage in the struggles. Teach me abandonment into your arms. May my heart forever profess “nothing matters but Jesus.”  Fill me with your spirit and create in me a docile will, a clean heart, inspired speech, and a burning desire to be Love to others. Protect me from the enemy and give me intimate knowledge of you so I follow you alone. I consecrate to you and to the Blessed Virgin Mary all thoughts, speech, and works so that I may be your voice, your instrument, your vessel of Grace. I profess my desire that my life be a living praise of you. I thank you with all affection. Amen

I. Why does God permit temptation? God does not permit any evil or problem unless it can serve some greater good. In the case of temptation, He permits it because it summons us to love Him while giving us the freedom to reject or accept that call. God seeks sons and daughters who can love Him freely.

Of God’s creatures, only angels and humans possess free will. We are summoned to love, but love requires the freedom to make choices. In giving us freedom, God permits alternatives to saying “yes” to Him. These alternatives present themselves as temptations.

Temptation existed even in Eden, in paradise; and prior to that, the angels had a sweeping choice for or against God. Scripture hints that one third of them fell to the earth and are what now called demons (see Rev 12:4). Our “yes” to God must be very precious indeed, because in granting this freedom He permits that some, indeed many, choose to reject Him.

A second reason God permits temptation is that it tests and strengthens us. An old saying reminds us, “Things do by opposition grow.” Temptation is a kind of opposition we must learn to endure. In enduring, though, we become stronger. The spiritual life is like the physical life in that we grow stronger through repeated action. After lifting weights repeatedly, our physical strength increases and we can overcome increasingly more difficult physical challenges. It is the same with the spiritual life. An old gospel song says, “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin. Each victory will help you, some other to win.” Scripture says, Resist the devil and he will flee(James 4:7). Resisting implies ongoing effort, standing up to the devil repeatedly. It’s not a one-time battle, but an ongoing war in which each small victory makes us stronger and the devil more discouraged. As we grow stronger, the devil eventually stops wasting his time tempting us in certain areas. At times the battle may weary us, but in the long run, it strengthens us. Jesus illustrates this in his three-fold battle with Satan in the desert.

II. What are the sources of temptation? There is a tendency to attribute temptation and struggles to the devil, but tradition speaks to two additional sources: the world and the flesh. (Note that the flesh is not merely our body; it is a term that describes our rebellious tendency to sin and be prideful.) Scripture affirms these different sources, for not only are there passages in which the devil directly tempts (e.g., Adam and Eve in the Garden, Jesus in the desert), but there are ones that speak to the temptations of the world and the flesh: For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world (1 John 2:16).

Frankly, many people do not need direct demonic temptation; they do a pretty good job of exposing themselves to temptation by indulging the flesh and embracing the world. The devil can pretty much leave them alone and monitor their self-destruction from a distance.

This is one reason those striving to convert and return to the Lord are often the target of demonic attacks. As long as they were traveling on the road to destruction and Hell, they barely noticed the devil, because he was walking right behind them. When they began to turn around, though, they ran right into him. While the devil can and does manipulate and influence both the flesh and the world, we do better to look first to these two sources before ascribing temptations directly to the devil himself.

The influence of the flesh and the world are more under our control and thus should be the main focus of our battle. We do well to limit our exposure to the world and to spend more time with heavenly influences such as Scripture, the liturgy, prayer, and healthy, godly relationships. We should also focus more attention on self-mastery, through frequent confession, practicing virtue, and keeping careful custody of our mind and heart. Thus we see that Jesus is in the desert engaged in deep prayer, mortifying the flesh, and stepping away from the world.

III. What is the chief weapon Jesus uses in refusing temptation and how can it help us?Temptation is ultimately about influence and the battlefield is the mind. In the story of Jesus’ temptations, he answers every sinful suggestion by the devil with Scripture.

1. It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
2. Again it is written: You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.
3. It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worshipand him alone shall you serve.

To every foolish and sinful thought Jesus replies, “It is written …”

Because the battle in temptation is about influence, the following question arises: What most influences you: the world, the flesh, the devil, or God? 

We must actively seek to be influenced by God, by godly thoughts and godly truth.

There is an old saying, “Sin makes you stupid.” And indeed it does. Sin darkens our intellect and leads us to make convoluted justifications and rationalizations of attitudes and behaviors that any child can see are wrong and defy common sense. St. Paul describes sin-induced stupidity when writing about the people of his time who suppressed the truth about God; claiming to be wise, they became fools, and their senseless minds were darkened (see Rom 1:18-22). He also advises us, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom 12:2). Nothing can so renew our minds as the very Word of God. By it we are called to see and judge all other things.

Thus, an essential antidote to temptation is to be deeply rooted in the truth of God. This does not mean merely mechanically quoting verses during an argument. Rather, it means being transformed by God’s Word and watching how it performs in our life. I have been reading Scripture every day for the last thirty years. The Word of God has changed me and has been instrumental (along with sacraments, prayer, and godly fellowship) in putting down sin and resisting the temptations that precede it. Some things that used to tempt me no longer do; other temptations that were once strong are now weaker. Still other temptations remain, but the battle is engaged! Jesus is right: the Faith and the Word of God are a strong shield to protect against the fiery darts of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Temptation is an ongoing battle for all of us until the day we die. All the more reason to permit the Lord to teach us its causes, the way it operates, and the ways to resist it.

I. Why does God permit temptation? God does not permit any evil or problem unless it can serve some greater good. In the case of temptation, He permits it because it summons us to love Him while giving us the freedom to reject or accept that call. God seeks sons and daughters who can love Him freely.

Of God’s creatures, only angels and humans possess free will. We are summoned to love, but love requires the freedom to make choices. In giving us freedom, God permits alternatives to saying “yes” to Him. These alternatives present themselves as temptations.

Temptation existed even in Eden, in paradise; and prior to that, the angels had a sweeping choice for or against God. Scripture hints that one third of them fell to the earth and are what now called demons (see Rev 12:4). Our “yes” to God must be very precious indeed, because in granting this freedom He permits that some, indeed many, choose to reject Him.

A second reason God permits temptation is that it tests and strengthens us. An old saying reminds us, “Things do by opposition grow.” Temptation is a kind of opposition we must learn to endure. In enduring, though, we become stronger. The spiritual life is like the physical life in that we grow stronger through repeated action. After lifting weights repeatedly, our physical strength increases and we can overcome increasingly more difficult physical challenges. It is the same with the spiritual life. An old gospel song says, “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin. Each victory will help you, some other to win.” Scripture says, Resist the devil and he will flee(James 4:7). Resisting implies ongoing effort, standing up to the devil repeatedly. It’s not a one-time battle, but an ongoing war in which each small victory makes us stronger and the devil more discouraged. As we grow stronger, the devil eventually stops wasting his time tempting us in certain areas. At times the battle may weary us, but in the long run, it strengthens us. Jesus illustrates this in his three-fold battle with Satan in the desert.

II. What are the sources of temptation? There is a tendency to attribute temptation and struggles to the devil, but tradition speaks to two additional sources: the world and the flesh. (Note that the flesh is not merely our body; it is a term that describes our rebellious tendency to sin and be prideful.) Scripture affirms these different sources, for not only are there passages in which the devil directly tempts (e.g., Adam and Eve in the Garden, Jesus in the desert), but there are ones that speak to the temptations of the world and the flesh: For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world (1 John 2:16).

Frankly, many people do not need direct demonic temptation; they do a pretty good job of exposing themselves to temptation by indulging the flesh and embracing the world. The devil can pretty much leave them alone and monitor their self-destruction from a distance.

This is one reason those striving to convert and return to the Lord are often the target of demonic attacks. As long as they were traveling on the road to destruction and Hell, they barely noticed the devil, because he was walking right behind them. When they began to turn around, though, they ran right into him. While the devil can and does manipulate and influence both the flesh and the world, we do better to look first to these two sources before ascribing temptations directly to the devil himself.

The influence of the flesh and the world are more under our control and thus should be the main focus of our battle. We do well to limit our exposure to the world and to spend more time with heavenly influences such as Scripture, the liturgy, prayer, and healthy, godly relationships. We should also focus more attention on self-mastery, through frequent confession, practicing virtue, and keeping careful custody of our mind and heart. Thus we see that Jesus is in the desert engaged in deep prayer, mortifying the flesh, and stepping away from the world.

III. What is the chief weapon Jesus uses in refusing temptation and how can it help us?Temptation is ultimately about influence and the battlefield is the mind. In the story of Jesus’ temptations, he answers every sinful suggestion by the devil with Scripture.

1. It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
2. Again it is written: You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.
3. It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worshipand him alone shall you serve.

To every foolish and sinful thought Jesus replies, “It is written …”

Because the battle in temptation is about influence, the following question arises: What most influences you: the world, the flesh, the devil, or God? 

We must actively seek to be influenced by God, by godly thoughts and godly truth.

There is an old saying, “Sin makes you stupid.” And indeed it does. Sin darkens our intellect and leads us to make convoluted justifications and rationalizations of attitudes and behaviors that any child can see are wrong and defy common sense. St. Paul describes sin-induced stupidity when writing about the people of his time who suppressed the truth about God; claiming to be wise, they became fools, and their senseless minds were darkened (see Rom 1:18-22). He also advises us, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom 12:2). Nothing can so renew our minds as the very Word of God. By it we are called to see and judge all other things.

Thus, an essential antidote to temptation is to be deeply rooted in the truth of God. This does not mean merely mechanically quoting verses during an argument. Rather, it means being transformed by God’s Word and watching how it performs in our life. I have been reading Scripture every day for the last thirty years. The Word of God has changed me and has been instrumental (along with sacraments, prayer, and godly fellowship) in putting down sin and resisting the temptations that precede it. Some things that used to tempt me no longer do; other temptations that were once strong are now weaker. Still other temptations remain, but the battle is engaged! Jesus is right: the Faith and the Word of God are a strong shield to protect against the fiery darts of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Temptation is an ongoing battle for all of us until the day we die. All the more reason to permit the Lord to teach us its causes, the way it operates, and the ways to resist it.

Our Hearts

I love the good - because it’s good for me

I hate the bad - because I don’t want to get caught

This is enlightened self-interest

NOT Virtue

This is Sophisticated Cowardice

 

This is why God allows temptation;

To manifest who we really are inside,

so that we might repent.

Admit sinful: Jeremiah 17:9 

and receive Grace to Live 

New Life In With and Through HIM. 

Our Hearts

I love the good - because it’s good for me

I hate the bad - because I don’t want to get caught

This is enlightened self-interest

NOT Virtue

This is Sophisticated Cowardice

 

This is why God allows temptation;

To manifest who we really are inside,

so that we might repent.

Admit sinful: Jeremiah 17:9 

and receive Grace to Live 

New Life In With and Through HIM. 

God’s justifying grace, at the beginning of our Christian life, is a gift given freely, and “not according to our works” (c.f. Ephesians 2:8-10). Our judgment, however, will be on the basis of our response to this grace, as Paul wrote elsewhere at Romans 2:6: “For he will render to every man according to his works” (RSV-2CE; also Matthew 16:27; 1 Corinthians 3:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 22:12). Paul ties these two together at Ephesians 2:8-10: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (RSV-2CE). In this mysterious interplay of grace and free will, God prepares the good works that we do, and so they are first attributable to Him.

God’s justifying grace, at the beginning of our Christian life, is a gift given freely, and “not according to our works” (c.f. Ephesians 2:8-10). Our judgment, however, will be on the basis of our response to this grace, as Paul wrote elsewhere at Romans 2:6: “For he will render to every man according to his works” (RSV-2CE; also Matthew 16:27; 1 Corinthians 3:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 22:12). Paul ties these two together at Ephesians 2:8-10: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (RSV-2CE). In this mysterious interplay of grace and free will, God prepares the good works that we do, and so they are first attributable to Him.

From the Catecheses by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop

Christ and Moses

The Israelites witnessed marvels; you also will witness marvels, greater and more splendid than those which accompanied them on their departure from Egypt. You did not see Pharaoh drowned with his armies, but you have seen the devil with his weapons overcome by the waters of baptism. The Israelites passed through the sea; you have passed from death to life. They were delivered from the Egyptians; you have been delivered from the powers of darkness. The Israelites were freed from slavery to a pagan people; you have been freed from the much greater slavery to sin.

  Do you need another argument to show that the gifts you have received are greater than theirs? The Israelites could not look on the face of Moses in glory, though he was their fellow servant and kinsman. But you have seen the face of Christ in his glory. Paul cried out: We see the glory of the Lord with faces unveiled.

  In those days Christ was present to the Israelites as he followed them, but he is present to us in a much deeper sense. The Lord was with them because of the favour he showed to Moses; now he is with us, but not simply because of your obedience. After Egypt they dwelt in desert places; after your departure you will dwell in heaven. Their great leader and commander was Moses; we have a new Moses, God himself, as our leader and commander.

  What distinguished the first Moses? Moses, Scripture tells us, was more gentle than all who dwelt upon the earth. We can rightly say the same of the new Moses, for there was with him the very Spirit of gentleness, united to him in his inmost being. In those days Moses raised his hands to heaven and brought down manna, the bread of angels; the new Moses raises his hands to heaven and gives us the food of eternal life. Moses struck the rock and brought forth streams of water; Christ touches his table, strikes the spiritual rock of the new covenant and draws forth the living water of the Spirit. This rock is like a fountain in the midst of Christ’s table, so that on all sides the flocks may draw near to this living spring and refresh themselves in the waters of salvation.

  Since this fountain, this source of life, this table surrounds us with untold blessings and fills us with the gifts of the Spirit, let us approach it with sincerity of heart and purity of conscience to receive grace and mercy in our time of need. Grace and mercy be yours from the only-begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; through him and with him be glory, honour and power to the Father and the life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ever. Amen.

From the Catecheses by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop

Christ and Moses

The Israelites witnessed marvels; you also will witness marvels, greater and more splendid than those which accompanied them on their departure from Egypt. You did not see Pharaoh drowned with his armies, but you have seen the devil with his weapons overcome by the waters of baptism. The Israelites passed through the sea; you have passed from death to life. They were delivered from the Egyptians; you have been delivered from the powers of darkness. The Israelites were freed from slavery to a pagan people; you have been freed from the much greater slavery to sin.

  Do you need another argument to show that the gifts you have received are greater than theirs? The Israelites could not look on the face of Moses in glory, though he was their fellow servant and kinsman. But you have seen the face of Christ in his glory. Paul cried out: We see the glory of the Lord with faces unveiled.

  In those days Christ was present to the Israelites as he followed them, but he is present to us in a much deeper sense. The Lord was with them because of the favour he showed to Moses; now he is with us, but not simply because of your obedience. After Egypt they dwelt in desert places; after your departure you will dwell in heaven. Their great leader and commander was Moses; we have a new Moses, God himself, as our leader and commander.

  What distinguished the first Moses? Moses, Scripture tells us, was more gentle than all who dwelt upon the earth. We can rightly say the same of the new Moses, for there was with him the very Spirit of gentleness, united to him in his inmost being. In those days Moses raised his hands to heaven and brought down manna, the bread of angels; the new Moses raises his hands to heaven and gives us the food of eternal life. Moses struck the rock and brought forth streams of water; Christ touches his table, strikes the spiritual rock of the new covenant and draws forth the living water of the Spirit. This rock is like a fountain in the midst of Christ’s table, so that on all sides the flocks may draw near to this living spring and refresh themselves in the waters of salvation.

  Since this fountain, this source of life, this table surrounds us with untold blessings and fills us with the gifts of the Spirit, let us approach it with sincerity of heart and purity of conscience to receive grace and mercy in our time of need. Grace and mercy be yours from the only-begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; through him and with him be glory, honour and power to the Father and the life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ever. Amen.