by Joseph Nangle, OFM
Pax Christi USA 2023 Teacher of Peace
Not to have other gods is to pause in the presence of God.
2024 Lenten message of Pope Francis
The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke each tell of the remarkable period at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, his 40 days of prayer and fasting in the desert.
One of the three is proclaimed each year on the first Sunday of Lent. And quite appropriately, as they recount what can be called “The First Lenten Season,” they serve as a fitting way for us to begin this season. We identify with this event on many levels.
This year we hear the story from Mark’s gospel, the shortest version of the temptations, but the most dramatic – “the Spirit DROVE Jesus out into the desert.”
Jesus had just heard John the Baptist say of him, “there is the Lamb of God.” As we know, John is referring to the prophecy of Isaiah who centuries before spoke of the Suffering Servant who “would be harshly treated… and like a lamb be led to the slaughter.” (Isaiah 53:7)
One Catholic scripture scholar places the action of the Spirit here in the context of John’s proclamation and Jesus’ response to it. The scholar says that being identified as the One of whom Isaiah was speaking was a complete revelation to this young carpenter of Nazareth and he was compelled seek an isolated place and reflect on it.
The second dramatic statement in Mark’s story is: “He was tempted by Satan.” At first hearing this may seem either impossible or at best symbolic. How could the Son of God actually be tempted to sin?
But we know that here we have an entirely human person who “though he was in the form of God, did not deem equality with God something to be grasped he emptied Himself… coming in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:6-7) No wonder, then, that being designated as the Lamb who would be slaughtered stunned him. It also led to three temptations to turn back from this Divine vocation.
These were real enticements to do wrong. In the Catholic understanding they were literal and physical events. Jesus was actually tempted to disobey the will of God.
After a 40-day fast, the Power of Darkness invites Jesus to show his power by turning stones into bread. In other words, do the bidding of the Evil One and be good to yourself. The connection between this and our Lenten reflections/practices is direct. Pope Francis puts it this way in his current Lenten message: “I invite every Christian community … to offer its members moments set aside to rethink their lifestyles, times to examine their presence in society…”
Next comes the temptation of power. Again, at the bidding of Satan Jesus is challenged: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from the parapet of this temple for it is written, “God’s angels will support you.”
The use of power for precisely the wrong and sinful reasons have faced humanity throughout history. In today’s world, wielding power in this way appears on every side. We are seeing it play out tragically in Gaza where a person deadly afraid of losing his power is seeking to wipe out an entire nation. In Ukraine, also, the violent exercise of power is costing hundreds of thousands of lives. And powerful nations are denying countless refugees their rights to lives worthy of God’s daughters and sons.
Finally, there is the most blasphemous temptation of all: worshipping evil for the sake of wealth and security: “All the kingdoms of the world will be yours if you prostrate yourself before me.”
How many false gods, empty idols — in particular wealth — have been worshipped throughout history, to our own day? As Pope Francis says in this year’s Lenten message, the desire to dominate “is a road well-travelled,” and in his January 24, 2024 general audience, he noted that the preoccupation with the accumulation of wealth reflects a “compulsive hoarding and pathological accumulation.”
In the light of Jesus’ temptations, Lent poses three questions:
- Is my lifestyle essentially me-oriented?
- Do I use whatever power I have in a domineering way?
- Is attaining wealth the overriding goal in my life?
Joe Nangle OFM is a Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace and the 2023 Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace. As a member of the Assisi Community in Washington, D.C., he is dedicated to simple living and social change. Joe also serves as the Pastoral Associate for the Latino community at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Arlington, Virginia.