Temptations. Duration, Demands, Discernment (2020-03-01, Lent-Sunday-01)

2020-03-01 – 1^st Sunday LENT 

__ Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7 __ Psalm 51 __  Romans 5:12-19  __ +Matthew 4:1-11 __

[_01_]    A temptation could be something entices us to do something that is bad, or – in some cases – the temptation is to NOT do something that is good.

          I’d like to touch on this and talk about the:

-         DURATION of the temptations

-         DEMANDS of the temptations.

-         DISCERNMENT (DECISION) involved in temptations.

[_02_]    1^st. “DURATION”.

          A few months ago, I made plans to meet an old friend from high school and the appointed evening was Thursday February 27^th.

          We hardly ever see each other, so we made this plan to get together and to meet at 5:30 pm in New York City, in midtown Manhattan. As the date approached, I realized that I had a conflict. And, I was TEMPTED to cancel, to give it all up, and was frustrated and feeling unable to get there in time.

          So, I was tempted to NOT do something that was good for me.

          All because of circumstances beyond my control. Then, I asked my friend – is it OK if we meet 20-30 minutes later, knowing also that he is very busy, has a packed schedule… and he says, absolutely fine.

          Then, I asked someone else to re-arrange something by about 15-20 minutes and I got a ride to the NJ Transit train station in Orange. There is a train from Orange at 4:18 pm, FYI.

          All of these actions increased my will, my voluntary power… while the temptation really did not increase in power. It was still there, but the temptation had also a limited duration.

          Once I boarded the train to NY from Orange, on my way, the temptation was over.

[_03_]     Does our experience of temptation have time limit? A time duration?

          I say YES. We may feel tempted all the time, but it is also true what people say, people who in 12-step recovery programs from, for example, addiction …or any of us when our health is recovering. One day at a time, one moment at a time, one temptation at a time.

          Sometimes, we get hung up on temptations that have not even happened yet.

          So, Jesus wants us to know that there is a duration to our temptations. There is a duration to our Lenten fast.

It does not mean that after these 40 days that we start eating and drinking and doing whatever we want, but that during these 40 days, we are focused on the duration of temptation.

         

[_04_]    2^nd. DEMAND of temptation.

          We are also called to see that temptation has a DEMAND on us.

          What is that DEMAND?

          Sometimes, we are tempted – demanded by our own weakness or by our own peers … to compare ourselves with others, to compare with what happened in the past or to compare ourselves with what might happen in the future.

          Some people call this “future-tripping”… “tripping out” on the worries of the future. That can be a demanding temptation.

          EXAMPLE – CAR…

EXAMPLE:  Several years ago, I was driving my car and felt that the car was very unsteady and unreliable. I had this car, I liked this car..but it also had high mileage and was kind of old and dented.  Yet, it was working well. I started to compare the car with others and it was “poor” in comparison. I myself was also “poor” because I had had just started my seminary studies, I did not have a job with money and I wanted the car to last.

I was lamenting and comparing myself to others and to other cars on the road. I did not want to go to a mechanic because the mechanic would tell me – of course that something was really really bad and I would have to take action.

So, I avoided that for a while hoping the problem would just go away. When I finally went to the mechanic…

          Finally, I took the car to a mechanic … which is what I should have done from the beginning and realized that I needed 2 new tires.  Yes, this cost me money..but a lot less than replacing the whole car.

          Sometimes, we need to reach out beyond ourselves to understand what the demand of the temptation really is.

          Jesus, we see, is isolated in the desert, but he is really not alone. He is in communion as Father – Son – Holy Spirit.

          And, we are called to remember that we are not alone in a moment of temptation either.

[_05_]    3^rd. DISCERNMENT.

          We are called to discernment in a moment of temptation.

          An example of this is…

          The difference between “falling in love” or the emotion of love versus the voluntary action of love.

          At certain times, in our lives, we may have the experience of falling in love with someone. Parents – mothers, fathers and also grandparents – will describe that they are “in love” with their children, overcome by the desire to show affection to a child.

          But, these “in love” moments may not endure.

          And, the temptation is to walk away at that moment.

          But, is not the exact moment when the real work and will and beauty of love starts.

          That’s when true freedom and true loving starts.

          That’s discernment, decision time. Love is about using our heart, mind, soul, strength to for the good of another person.

          That’s true freedom.

[_06_]    This Gospel reminds us that temptations come into our lives at certain times, and we may need help to resist them.

          But, they also call us to grow in discernment and freedom each day.

[_fin_]