Temptation in the Desert
One
The First Temptation of Jesus
We all face temptation. Even Jesus, though He is God, experienced it, so He understands what we go through.
Immediately after His baptism, Jesus enters the desert to pray and fast for forty days in preparation for His public ministry. There, the devil tempts Him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into bread.” And Jesus responds, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
The first temptation is one of disordered priorities, turning material needs into life’s highest concern. Jesus teaches that our first priority must be God, speaking to Him, listening to Him, and simply spending time with Him each day. When we do this, everything else finds its proper place.
The devil whispers a different message, “That’s unrealistic. You need to take care of yourself first, your work, your health, your rest. You can always make time for God later.”
But is that true? When we put off prayer, placing worldly concerns first, do we truly find peace? Or do we become enslaved to the tyranny of the urgent, constantly postponing what matters most? Jesus shows us the way: God first, always. Everything else will follow.
Two
The Second Temptation
In the Second Temptation the Devil says, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; because Scripture says: ‘He will put his angels in charge of you and they will support you on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.” And Jesus responded saying, “Scripture also says: You must not put the Lord your God to the test.” Satan says, “Make God prove he is God.” And Jesus responds, “You must not put God to the test. You must not demand that God prove He is God.”
Pope Benedict in his book Jesus of Nazareth had a profound insight about this temptation. He writes, “We try to make God submit to experiment. He is “tested,” just as products are tested. He must submit to the conditions that we say are necessary if we are to believe…The arrogance that would make God an object and impose our laboratory conditions upon him is incapable of finding him. For it already implies that we deny God as God by placing ourselves above him…by no longer acknowledging as real anything other than what we can experimentally test and grasp. To think like that is to make oneself God…Christ did not cast himself down from the pinnacle of the Temple. He did not leap into the abyss. He did not tempt God. But he did descend into the abyss of death, into the night of abandonment, and into the desolation of the defenseless. He ventured this leap as an act of God’s love for men. And so he knew that, ultimately, when he leaped he could only fall into the kindly hands of the Father. This brings to light the real meaning of Psalm 91…If you follow the will of God, you know that in spite of all the terrible things that happen to you, you will never lose a final refuge. You know that the foundation of the world is love, so that even when no human being can or will help you, you may go on, trusting in the One who loves you.”
Three
The Third Temptation
In the third temptation Satan offers Jesus an earthly kingdom. But to gain it he has to forget about the Kingdom of God. Again Pope Benedict writes, “No kingdom of this world is the Kingdom of God, the total condition of mankind’s salvation. Earthly kingdoms remain earthly human kingdoms, and anyone who claims to be able to establish the perfect world is the willing dupe of Satan and plays right into his hands…”
People complain and say, “Well, what did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought?”
The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God, and now we know His face, now we can call upon Him. Now we know the path that we must take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about our origin and destiny.
Four
The Mountain
The mountain where Jesus faced His first temptation stands near Jericho, the world’s oldest continually inhabited city.
Before Jericho, people were hunters and gatherers, too preoccupied with survival to reflect deeply on life. But with agriculture, they gained time to ponder life’s greatest questions: Where do we come from? What is our purpose? What happens after death? This led to prayer, to conversation, and to true friendship with God and with one another.
But today, we have devolved. We have returned to the relentless busyness of the hunter-gatherer, claiming we have no time to think, pray, or cultivate real relationships. This is the Devil’s temptation, “Jesus, get busy, turn these stones into bread.” The lie is that productivity matters more than presence, that busyness is virtue. But to be constantly busy is to be Be Under Satan’s Yoke.
Jesus shows us a different way: not grasping for the fleeting, but trusting in the Father’s providence and spending time in worship and prayer. Will we imitate Him?
Five
The Wild Beasts
The Gospel of Mark ends Jesus’ temptation in the desert with a striking image, “Jesus was with the wild beasts, and the angels looked after him.”
Like Jesus, we live among wild beasts, the temptations that surround us. But we are never alone. Christ, the Holy Spirit, Mary, our Guardian Angel, and the Saints stand ready to help, if only we ask.
Yet we often make the mistake of fighting temptation alone. Even Jesus, both God and man, did not stand alone. The angels ministered to Him. How much more do we need to rely on the help given to us?
One day in heaven, we will see that we were never alone, not even for a moment. And we will wonder why we did not turn to the help that was always there. Jesus promised to be with us until the end of time. The entire Holy Trinity dwells within our soul. Mary, our Mother and Queen, watches over us. St. Joseph, the Terror of Demons, has been appointed by God to protect us. Our Guardian Angel, strong and mighty, has been entrusted with our care.
We are not solitary soldiers. We belong to a great family, a mighty army. When temptation strikes, do not battle alone. Turn to them immediately and keep calling upon them until the storm subsides.
Suggested Resolutions:
Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you.
When you’re fighting temptation, remember you’re not fighting alone. Each time you’re tempted, ask for the help of your Guardian Angel, Mary, Christ, and the Saints.
We’re often tempted to trade the Heavenly Kingdom in for an Earthly kingdom. This week, fight back by putting your spiritual life above busyness and finding time to sit in silence to pray rather than get extra work done.