The temptations of Jesus in the desert
Although the temptations appear at the beginning of the public life of Jesus, in reality they were presented throughout his life at different times. On more than one occasion we find people asking him for a sign from heaven, a convincing proof so that they could believe in him (Mt 12,38; Lk 11,29; Mk 8,11). In others, the people are moved by his words and try to make him king (Jn 6:15); Likewise, he had to deal with his disciples to make them understand that he had not come to seek the power or the privileges of the great ones of this world (Mt 18,1; Mk 9,33). And finally, shortly before being seized by the authorities and sentenced to death, in the olive garden he was tempted to avoid the suffering that awaited him; but also there, in the moment of pain, he knew how to overcome the test (Mt 26,39).
It is important to point out the place where these temptations of the evil one take place, in the desert; which is, in the prophetic tradition, the ideal place for the encounter of man with God (Dt 32,10; Hos 2,16). Jesus wants to meet God and discern his divine plan for him. The Lenten season also invites us to go to the desert, understood as a solitary place, without distractions, to review ourselves, everything we do and how we do it; to discern God's plan for us.
Let us not be afraid and let us be guided by the Spirit, to face our trials, those misleading ideas and projects that we usually have in life. It is not wasted time; for Jesus himself said: “Man does not live by bread alone…”.
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