HOMILY WEEK 06 02 – Year II
Resist Temptation through Faith and Experience Joy
(James 1:12-18; Ps 94; Mk 8:14-21)
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A lady who had promised her husband she was going window shopping and would not buy anything came back with an expensive dress. When he asked why she broke her promise, she replied the dress was too tempting to pass up. He asked her why she didn’t do like Jesus in the gospel and say, “Get behind me Satan.” She replied that she did that, and he said it looked even better from behind so she bought it.
Today’s liturgy, as Lent approaches, invites us to use temptations to grow in faith and experience joy.
In the first reading, St. James offer us some practical advice on dealing with temptation It is our inordinate desire that leads to sinful action, that in turn leads to negative consequences, and in his words, death. This links with a saying in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, that we are not punished for our defects, but by them. Addiction, like temptations, is cunning, baffling, powerful – and deceptive.
Biblically, the temptations the Israelites fell for are possession, prestige and power, all good things in themselves, but when we over-attach ourselves to them, they take over, control us and become false gods or substitutes for God which will never fill our deepest human needs.
The reason Jesus was driven by the Spirit after his baptism into the desert was to confront those same temptations which seduced the Israelites. Imagine Satan mocking Jesus, how can he be the Son of God if he is so poor, so turn rocks into bread. Jesus, so secure in the Father’s love for him especially after being blessed by the Father at his baptism, could reply he did not need to be rich to be the Son of God – we do not live by bread alone.
Then Satan mocked Jesus, how can be the Son of God if he is a big fat nobody, not famous at all, so jump down from the temple and demand attention. Jesus, so secure in the Father’s love for him, could rely he did not need to be famous to be the Son of God, he would take the elevator down like everyone else – you shall not test the Lord your God.
Finally, Satan mocked Jesus, how could he be the Son of God if he has no power or control. Bow down, worship him and he would have all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus, so secure in the Father’s love for him, could reply he did not need power of control to be the Son of God – you shall worship the Lord your God alone.
Can we also be so secure in the love of the Father and of Jesus for us that we can also say no to all these temptations?
In the Gospel account, Jesus advises his disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod. The yeast of the Pharisees is unbelief, hypocrisy and externalism, to which all of us are susceptible. The yeast of Herod is precisely the lust for power and control at all costs – an all too present temptation in our society today.
The questions Jesus poses to the disciples, reminding them of the multiplication of the loaves, is a gentle teaching to them to be like him – so secure in the Father’s love for us that we will also say no to these temptations, and allow him to fill us with his peace and joy, the seven and twelve baskets left over. We could add a new Beatitude to the ones Jesus gave us – blessed are those who are tempted and say “no” to that temptation. St. Ignatius discovered that whenever he resisted the temptation to read worldly literature and read the lives of the saints instead, he experience a deep joy that lasted, rather than a moment of pleasure that quickly dissipated.
Ron is a good example for us, who quietly goes about living the truth. When Ron’s son rolled their truck before he had a license, he was tempted to lie, but admitted that it was his son who was driving, and bore the financial hit. Another time, when boarding a ferry, the ticket agent told Ron that he shouldn’t have told him the age of his kids – now he had to charge him. “No one would have known the difference,” the agent told Ron. Ron replied simply, “The kids would know.” At a stag, a stripper was brought in. Ron told his brother, “Let’s go, we’re out of here.” Ron had the faith and raw courage to face and resist those temptations.
The Eucharist is an act of faith in the presence of Jesus in Word and Sacrament, empowering us to use temptations to grow stronger in faith and experience joy.
