Gospel: Mark 1: 12-15
Lent is a journey into the desert with Jesus. Here he will teach us how to overcome sin and temptation in our own lives. Jesus experiences the same temptations we all face as human beings: the temptation to bodily pleasures, the allure of power, influence, and wealth - in short, the satisfying of our desires and self-interest.
In each temptation, Jesus has recourse to the scriptures and his constant meditation upon them and his reliance upon God alone. The devil too quotes scripture, but the contrast between the two is striking. In the case of Jesus, he uses scripture to expand his love for God and others. By contrast, the devil seeks to use scripture to seek his own interests, to justify our desires and ego. Jesus shows us how to overcome sin and temptation, and how to authentically understand the scriptures in our lives.
Life on earth is a desert; the pleasures we seek are mirages and illusions that cannot satisfy. The desert reminds us of our total dependence on God. Israel was in the desert for forty years; God provided them with food and water. In our desert journey, God will provide for our needs as well, for God alone is our satisfaction and completion.
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