No, it’s not a typo– today, I’m talking about dessert and fasting, particularly in regard to the story of Jesus’s temptation in the desert and my Lenten sacrifice so far. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the story (or just want a quick refresher) it goes like this: following His Baptism, Jesus went out into the desert to fast for 40 days and 40 nights in order to prepare for the start of His public ministry. While He is there, Satan appears to tempt Him, offering food and power and doubting that He is truly the Son of God. Jesus rejects his offers, and when the devil departs, angels appear to tend to Him.
So how does this relate to our Lenten journeys? Well, as you can imagine, the segment where “the tempter” offers a hungry Jesus the opportunity to create some bread really hits home with me this Lent. Quite often in the month since Ash Wednesday I’ve felt temptation like that, and in light of my recent failings in particular, I’m going to keep this story in mind (especially Jesus’s reaction to the devil’s taunts and temptations) as a deterrent the next time I’m stared in the face by a particularly appetizing snack or dessert. Perhaps in the spirit of living “not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4) I’ll take a look at a Scripture passage or say a little prayer whenever I’m in such a situation. It certainly couldn’t hurt!
How does the story of Christ’s temptation in the desert relate to your Lenten sacrifice? How do you fight off temptation during Lent (and throughout the year)? Let us know in the comments!
