Father Giuseppe of the Koinonia John the Baptist community offers us a meditation on the readings for the first Sunday of Lent.

In reality, the three temptations that Jesus is subject to, are part of the one attempt by Satan (in this context he is like a “test-driver”!) to deviate Jesus from the way that the Father has prepared for him. The theme of the first temptation is bread. As we know, Jesus feeds the starving some time later: “He took five loaves… lifted his eyes to Heaven… They all ate and were satisfied” (Luke 9,16-17).

The second temptation is centered on receiving authority. We know that just a short time later, Jesus exercises a special kind of authority with the evil spirits: All the people were amazed and said to each other: “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!” (Luke 4,36).

The third is the most “religious” of the three, because the “test-driver” brings him to the most holy place and (imitating Jesus), uses the Word of God to try to lead him into his trap: “…it is written…”. It is indeed written that the angels will come and protect him and not allow his foot to stumble. In short, in this passage, we find everything: the Father, the Temple, the promise, the angels and above all Him, the Son of God, who’s intimate relationship with Abba is about to be sifted, but he doesn’t give in. Jesus doesn’t take the short-cut, he doesn’t interpret Scripture with the category of magic but rather with that of faith. In order to feed the crowd he doesn’t take many stones but rather he takes only a few loaves, that are a sign of our adhesion to him. Due to his faithfulness he tasted the sweetness of the promise in the hour of darkness: “An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him” (Luke 22:43).

Let us also enter into the Lenten desert, full of the Holy Spirit, and with Scripture on our mouths and with our hearts ready to receive all that he wants to give us and in the way that he has established for us.