temptations may be necessary
Jesus was led in the desert and there he was tempted. In Mark’s version it would be a bit more consternating for he said - Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted. Most often we have a negative idea about temptation that makes us well-meaning Christians cringe, and we have even a more negative idea about the tempter who is Satan. We even placed horns on his head and a tail on his behind. The bible however looks at things quite differently. Temptation may be necessary for growth and for clarity of purpose, and Satan can be an ally of God, an ally of virtue, somebody we may even need in order to grow.
Let us take the example of what happened last night at around 11:30 in the evening. From what I make out of the event, and I believe my facts are not really accurate, some seminarians were studying so seriously in the pasillo fronting the refectory. Then two seminarians from the dorm decided to fool around, got a flashlight and decided to irritate a seminarian they probably found too serious in his studies. They pointed the light on him, flashed it on and off, then on and off, then on and off again and again. I don’t exactly know what ensued but it seems that somebody’s patience gave in. Stones were thrown, picked out in all probability from a patio full of them, and as a result several windows were broken.
I am not about to make any judgments on the event or on the actors of the drama that ensued. Neither will I be belittling that event either, but I just want to illustrate to you for the moment how temptations can be helpful to our growth in virtue and even to our growth in holiness.
Satan, especially in the book of Job is an ally of God. He is what we may call the prosecutor in the court of law, out to test whether there is truth in the virtue or in the guile of the defendant. So in that event I am referring to, we have two little devils testing the innocence of a seminarian intent in his studies. The seminarian unluckily succumb to the test, he succumb to the temptation. He could not resist and stones were picked and stones were thrown. If the victim was a high school I would expect him to blame the two little devils and justify his stone throwing. But a college takes advantage of the temptation, introspects on the events, examines and dissects his reaction and ask himself: should have I reacted more patiently, could a solution to the problem beside stone throwing be found, what could have been the better way to handle that, what was it really that irritated me, what made me angry? We call this introspection and this is data that could be discussed in an IC. My point is temptations can be an opportunity for growth and not just an occasion to sin.
Jesus before he set out for the mission was tempted. If you look at the content of his temptations they are temptations meant to clarify his mission. How will he use his power as God - will he use it to make things easy for him, do some magic trick so that people will follow him? How does he intend to save the world as the Savior? Will he do it the easy way or will he go through the hardships and difficulties of the cross. Jesus was tempted. With the help of the devil, of Satan his mission and his method of saving us was clarified. Jesus after the test came out strengthened in his resolve.
Be aware of your temptations. Know your temptations. Know of what stuff you are made of through your temptations. Your temptations will show you your motives. Use your temptations to discern whether you are called for the priesthood or not, whether you have the capacity for the priesthood or not. Your temptations can help you discern. As Socrates would say, know thyself, and temptations may be necessary for you to do that.
In the Our Father we pray et ne nos inducas in tentationem - may you not lead us to temptation; Father, if it is possible do not bring us to the test, do not test us, do not permit us to be tempted . . . if it is possible. Sed libera nos a malo, but deliver us from evil. If it is not possible, if it is necessary that we should be tempted, that we should be put to the test, then Father do not deliver us up to the evil one, do not permit us to be crushed by the test, do not permit us to be tempted beyond our strength, do not permit us to be crushed and be trampled by the evil one in our trials. Permit us to win, permit us to overcome. That is what we pray everyday, isn’t it?
Temptation may be necessary. Pray however that you will not be overcome.
Let us take the example of what happened last night at around 11:30 in the evening. From what I make out of the event, and I believe my facts are not really accurate, some seminarians were studying so seriously in the pasillo fronting the refectory. Then two seminarians from the dorm decided to fool around, got a flashlight and decided to irritate a seminarian they probably found too serious in his studies. They pointed the light on him, flashed it on and off, then on and off, then on and off again and again. I don’t exactly know what ensued but it seems that somebody’s patience gave in. Stones were thrown, picked out in all probability from a patio full of them, and as a result several windows were broken.
I am not about to make any judgments on the event or on the actors of the drama that ensued. Neither will I be belittling that event either, but I just want to illustrate to you for the moment how temptations can be helpful to our growth in virtue and even to our growth in holiness.
Satan, especially in the book of Job is an ally of God. He is what we may call the prosecutor in the court of law, out to test whether there is truth in the virtue or in the guile of the defendant. So in that event I am referring to, we have two little devils testing the innocence of a seminarian intent in his studies. The seminarian unluckily succumb to the test, he succumb to the temptation. He could not resist and stones were picked and stones were thrown. If the victim was a high school I would expect him to blame the two little devils and justify his stone throwing. But a college takes advantage of the temptation, introspects on the events, examines and dissects his reaction and ask himself: should have I reacted more patiently, could a solution to the problem beside stone throwing be found, what could have been the better way to handle that, what was it really that irritated me, what made me angry? We call this introspection and this is data that could be discussed in an IC. My point is temptations can be an opportunity for growth and not just an occasion to sin.
Jesus before he set out for the mission was tempted. If you look at the content of his temptations they are temptations meant to clarify his mission. How will he use his power as God - will he use it to make things easy for him, do some magic trick so that people will follow him? How does he intend to save the world as the Savior? Will he do it the easy way or will he go through the hardships and difficulties of the cross. Jesus was tempted. With the help of the devil, of Satan his mission and his method of saving us was clarified. Jesus after the test came out strengthened in his resolve.
Be aware of your temptations. Know your temptations. Know of what stuff you are made of through your temptations. Your temptations will show you your motives. Use your temptations to discern whether you are called for the priesthood or not, whether you have the capacity for the priesthood or not. Your temptations can help you discern. As Socrates would say, know thyself, and temptations may be necessary for you to do that.
In the Our Father we pray et ne nos inducas in tentationem - may you not lead us to temptation; Father, if it is possible do not bring us to the test, do not test us, do not permit us to be tempted . . . if it is possible. Sed libera nos a malo, but deliver us from evil. If it is not possible, if it is necessary that we should be tempted, that we should be put to the test, then Father do not deliver us up to the evil one, do not permit us to be crushed by the test, do not permit us to be tempted beyond our strength, do not permit us to be crushed and be trampled by the evil one in our trials. Permit us to win, permit us to overcome. That is what we pray everyday, isn’t it?
Temptation may be necessary. Pray however that you will not be overcome.
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