THE DEVIL USES PEOPLE
(A biblical refection on the 1st Sunday of Lent, Year C – 17 February 2013)
First Reading: Deut 26:4-10; Psalms: Ps 91:1-2,10-15; Second Reading: Rom 10:8-13; Gospel Reading: Lk 4:1-13
A priest was having a hard time looking for a parking space. After sneaking into a no-double parking space, he left note on his wiper which read: “I’ve gone around the corner three times but couldn’t find a space – ‘Forgive me my trespasses.’” When he returned, a violation ticket was tucked on his wiper with the note, “I will be removed from my post if I don’t book you – ‘Lead me not into temptation.’”
Temptation is an ever-present reality in life. Even the Lord Jesus was tempted as shown in Scriptures (cf. Lk 4:1-13). Jesus withdrew to the wilderness for a long retreat. There He encountered Satan who offered Him the ultimate in power, money and material comforts. The offer was, of course, conditional. Jesus was to acknowledge Satan as supreme being. “All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me,” the devil said. Jesus answered with an emphatic “No.”
The struggle in the wilderness between Jesus and the devil goes on within each of us, every day of our life. The urge to be true to God is real, but so is the urge to be untrue. St. Paul describes the inner struggle or spiritual combat in his letter to the Romans: “I can’t understand myself; for I don’t do what I would like to do, but instead I do what I hate” (Rom 7:15).
Note that temptation is not a sin. It is an incitement to evil. It is a testing. God allows Satan to test someone to see how good he/she is. It’s like a girl testing the fidelity of her suitor. God allows Satan to test us so that we can prove whether we are on Satan’s or God’s side.
In temptation the devil does not always appear as a horrible looking half-man, half-animal with horns and tail. He could appear in the form of a well-dressed man with pleasing personality but offers “indecent proposals” like approving an anomalous contract or bribing people. The devil could be a smart, charming lady, say, in the office who seduces you to be unfaithful to your wife. In other words, individuals and institutions can be used, and are being used today by sweet-talking Satan.
Temptation is related to free will. God gives us free will to test our love for Him. I have to make decisions for or against God when I am tempted. If I have no free choice to love or not to love, if I am simply compelled by human nature to love, my love for someone would have no value whatsoever. Destroy free will and you destroy the very concept of love for God that is free.
St. Paul writes in 1Cor 10:13 “God will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to remain firm. Every time you’re put to test He will give you the strength to endure it, and provide you the way out.” The ideal thing to do is to ask the Lord to help you.
One thing we have to remember, when the Lord shooed Satan away and left Him, the struggle didn’t end there. The Gospel writer tells us that “when the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left Him, to await another opportunity” (Lk 4:13).
Temptation is a continuing struggle in our lives to keep God at the center. And as someone quipped: “When you flee temptation, be sure you don’t leave a forwarding address.” Sometimes we are attracted to infidelity, to excessive drinking, or to cheating in money matters. In all these cases we are tempted to substitute the lesser for the greater, the superficial for the real, the trivial for the essential.
We’ve begin the season of Lent. It’s a season of testing and discipline, of choosing good and evil, of focusing on the greater and better choices. Are we making the right choices?
Note: Taken (with very little changes) from Fr. Bel San Luis SVD, WORD ALIVE, Manila, Philippines: LOGOS Publications, Inc., 1994, pages 34-35.