Reflection – Dr Nathan Leber

Lent officially began on Wednesday, 46 days before Easter Sunday. Minus the six Sunday Feasts, this allows for 40 days of fasting, symbolic of Jesus’ time in the desert – our Gospel passage for today. So, why was Jesus tempted? The Devil knew the Jesus was divine, but also human, so he sought holes in Jesus’ humanity – holes we all need to be careful of. First, he tells Jesus to have his fill with human matters, but Jesus quotes from Moses (Deut. 8:3). In fact, all the temptations are rejected with the words of Moses from Deuteronomy. Jesus is reliving the Exodus (note the 40 days relate to the 40 years) leading us into our Promised Land. He is tempted with fame and power, and He is tempted with pride – the great sin. Self-serving, overt displays of his divinity were not his mission. This would have denied his humanity, and in doing that, Jesus (as the second Adam) could not have passed the test that the first Adam failed. Just as sin originated with disobedience and pride in the Garden, so we are saved from sin by the obedience and humility of Christ. The tension between Christ’s human and divine nature is exemplified in this story, and faith requires our belief in a Jesus who is both wholly human and wholly divine.

Like the First Reading from Moses, we bring the first fruits and the work of human hands to the altar every time we celebrate the eucharist, and through Jesus’ obedience, sacrifice and victory over sin and death, we are nourished. Yet, there is another thing we need to remember. As Saint Paul mentions, there must be a connection between your mouth and heart. It is not enough to declare yourself a Christian, you must believe in your heart that Jesus broke the bonds of death. Similarly, you can’t believe in your heart and not declare it so. Calling yourself a Catholic is not enough, you must live a Catholic life – both words and deeds are required for salvation and wholeness. Don’t be fooled that belief without display is enough. We are called to be ‘good news’ people in both word and witness. Lent is a time for starting over, for reconciling with and turning back to God. The key to our salvation is Christ. If we go back to Jesus’ reply to Satan with the first temptation. Matthew (4:4) records more of this saying, ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” I hope you can see where I am going. As a hint, I will ask you one question: “Who is the Word made Flesh?” Now, you all know how to get your fill!

Dr Nathan Leber