1st Sunday of Lent (22.02.15)

Who is entertaining whom? There’s the apocryphal tale of an experienced old style schoolmaster, skilled in ‘reading’ his pupils, challenging one boy: “Jones, are you entertaining temptation?” Jones, who later became a politician, promptly responded: “No, Sir!  The temptation is entertaining me.”Temptation – a single word with incalculable applications. We will still be discovering them in our last conscious moments! Satan doesn’t give up! This is why, when we pray the ‘Hail Mary’, we invite the support of Mary, Mother of God, “now and at the hour of our death”.A heart-to-heart communication with Jesus painstakingly and perseveringly nurtured over years needs to be threaded through our daily life. Whenever we make that effort God generously responds. Daily prayer is not like an antibiotic, something to be ‘done’ when temptation, like a serious infection, has a hold on us. Daily prayer is an outer defence against the Tempter. A defence we make not only for our self but with and for all the Baptised throughout the world.Jesus was a thirty something post-Baptismal adult when he had his ‘missionary’ encounter with Satan. Mark’s version of the event forms our Gospel for the 1^st Sunday of Lent this year (1:12-15). It is missionary in that by it Jesus marked the beginning of His public life and ministry.

Jesus’ stepping into the river Jordan marked his public commitment to the will of His heavenly Father. The Father responded immediately: “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” (Mark 1: 9-11)

There’s a myth that ‘holy’ people escape temptation! The Gospels reveal the contrary. Jesus tells us:“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15.20) Jesus’ persecutors included some Pharisees and Jewish leaders but his chief persecutor was Satan.  As for Jesus, so for us!

Our desire to grow closer to Jesus draws down a response, in the form of temptation, from Satan. Some holy people have felt crushed by the temptations besetting them. They describe feeling as if Satan were waiting for them at the church door when they had just celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation! That’s not a myth! He was and will continue in the same mode! A reconciled sinner is a prime target for Satan.

Faced with this persecutor of persecutors how should we react? We are advised to assess our status and seek help.

Baptism endows us with an infinite, living relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship enables us to confront Satan not capitulate. But there is a condition. Our Baptismal relationship has to be an alive, flourishing communion with Jesus. So, if our Baptism has shrunk to a faded certificate and a boxed shawl in cupboard, we are ill prepared for the combat.

As to seeking help – Baptism unites us with the communion of the saints in heaven and purgatory as well as the saints-to-be who make up the Church on earth. Help is also immediately available through the prayer. The making of the ‘Sign of the Cross’, with the invocation, “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” is a plea for Divine help. But, and it is an important but, the invocation must be well founded in the way we live our daily life. Using any prayer as a sort of ‘touch wood’ will be of little benefit.

The Baptised are Jesus’ front line troops, his SAS in the warfare with Satan. Is this currently true of the Baptised in Europe? Is it true of my family? Is it true of me? Can Jesus count of me to defend the spiritually weak and wounded? To be effective, troops must be vigilant. Is my prayer inward looking (‘me’ and ‘my’) or outward facing (‘us’ and ‘our’)?

St. Jude is the patron saint of hopeless cases. Is European Christianity in need of his patronage? After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Saint Jude, brother of James the Less and a cousin of Jesus, traveled throughout Mesopotamia for ten years converting many to Christianity. He died a martyr’s death.

St. Jude identifies himself in his letter as “Servant of Jesus Christ’. Would we be truthful in using this form of self-announcement?
In his brief letter Jude writes:
“My dear friends, at a time when I was eagerly looking forward to writing to you about the salvation that we all share, I have been forced to write and appeal to you to fight hard for the faith which has entrusted to the saints. Certain people have infiltrated among you denying all religion, turning the grace of our God into immorality, and rejecting our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. These people, in their delusions, defile their bodies and disregard authority as well. They abuse anything they do not understand; and the only things they do understand — just by nature like unreasoning animals — will turn out to be fatal to them.
They are a dangerous obstacle to your community – like clouds blown about by the winds and bringing no rain. They are mischief makers, grumblers governed only by their own desires, with mouths full of boastful talk, ready with flattery for other people when they see some self advantage in it.
Jesus Christ told us to expect. “At the end of time there are going to be people who sneer at religion and follow nothing but their own desires for wickedness.”
But you, my dear friends, must use your most holy faith as your foundation and build on that
When there are some who have doubts, reassure them; when there are some to be saved from the fire, pull them out; but there are others to whom you must be kind with great caution, keeping your distance even from outside clothing which is contaminated by vice.
Glory be to Him who can keep you from falling and bring you safe to his glorious presence, innocent and happy.”

St. Augustine (Sermon 256) adds his encouragement for the Baptised in their confrontations with Satan:
“God is faithful and he will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength. Scripture does not say that God will not allow you to be tried, but that he will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength.” We are responsible for the depth of our communion with Christ in which is the only strength that can defeat Satan.

Jesus was led by the Spirit to the Judean wilderness. It was both his and his Father’s will for him to be there. How is Jesus calling us to share with him this Lent? It surely would be something more than a struggle over sugar, chocolate or alcohol? The more serous struggle is to make a daily conscious effort to be a sign of God’s love and presence in the world. Making a visible Sign of the Cross before eating might be a start!