THROUGH UNTRUE
Temptations are a part of our everyday lives, and they can be powerful "triggers" that entice, persuade, or seduce us to seek what appears to be good or pleasurable. However, it is important to remember that temptations become sins when we choose to give in to them, even when we know that what seems good is actually morally evil.
Many people blame the devil for every temptation they experience, but the Bible tells us that our own desires, passions, or selfish interests can lead us to sin (James 1:14-15). Nowadays, the internet and social media provide us with many clever ways to tempt one another. They dish out unlimited access to information, services, and products that promise to gratify our appetites anytime, anywhere. They override our better judgment and lead us to make impulsive decisions that we later regret.
Today's gospel reading tells us about the temptations that Jesus experienced in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus overcame temptation without using His divine powers. He wanted to show us that as human beings, we have the God-given strength and power that no amount of evil can conquer. We must stop using the lame excuse, "Ako'y tao lamang," or "I was born this way," to justify our surrender to temptation. Besides, God does not allow us to be tempted beyond our strength.
The three temptations of Jesus also provide us with important lessons. The first lesson is that wealth and power never bring us a lasting sense of inner peace and contentment, but simply create a cycle of dependency and a slavish reliance on perishable things. To those who are caught up in the mindless pursuit of wealth and power, Jesus has this to say: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
The second lesson is that we should not look at our prayer as so powerful that it can change God's mind or make Him do what we want. Jesus says, "You shall not test the Lord your God" (Matthew 4:7). We test God by constantly bargaining with Him, such as when we say, "Either you protect me from all harm and grant my prayers or I will cease to believe in You." This is toxic faith because we reduce God to an idol who is at our beck and call and who is easily disposable when He does not meet our expectations.
The third temptation is perhaps the most insidious. The devil took Jesus to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and said, "All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me" (Matthew 4:9). Even for Jesus, this must have been the most difficult temptation to resist because it offered Him a shortcut to achieving His mission.
As an omnipotent God, it would have been easy for Jesus to say, "I forgive all of you so you will all go to heaven." But Jesus did not do that. He did not come only to show us what He has the power to do, but also to teach us what we are capable of doing when we resist shortcuts in achieving our goals.
Temptations are too good to be true. While they may seem appealing, the negative effects far outweigh the pleasure or satisfaction they provide. May we learn from Jesus’ example and resist the temptations that come our way so that we too may follow the path that leads to God.