Temptations

IT’S important that we know exactly what to do in Lent which is a very

special season in the liturgical year. It is supposed to identify us

more closely with Christ who, as our redeemer and perfecter of our

humanity, shows us precisely how to face the many trials and

challenges in our life.

Among them are the temptations that we cannot avoid. Christ himself

already warned us about this. “Woe to the world because of

temptations. For it must be that temptations come.” (Mt 18,7)

Of course, if we think a little, we will readily realize why it is so.

Our spiritual faculties of intelligence and will, which enable us to

know the truth and to choose the good, have been darkened and weakened

by sin.

Though not completely detached from the source of truth and goodness

which is God, they are in a badly handicapped condition that need to

be cured, healed, rehabbed, or at least purified and strengthened.

Thus, we now have what is called concupiscence, which is a certain

attraction toward evil. St. John in his first letter distinguishes

this concupiscence into concupiscence of the flesh, concupiscence of

the eyes, and the pride of life. (cf 2,16)

We start to feel this concupiscence when we begin to use our reason

and will, because that’s when we can think we can be by ourselves,

instead of being always with God and with others, which is the ideal

way we ought to live our life.

That’s why it is important that at their very tender age, children

should be taught to train their mind and heart to engage God in love,

and because of that love, to be engaged also with everybody else.

Otherwise, the children can harden in their self-centered attitudes as

they grow to adulthood.

Aside from our wounded human nature with its concupiscence, the other

sources of temptations are the world and the devil himself. The world,

which originally was good because it also has been created by God, has

unfortunately absorbed the evil effects of our sinfulness, and so it

can exercise an evil influence over us.

The devil, of course, was originally a good angel created by God also

to be like him, with intelligence and will superior to ours since they

are pure spirits,  but who at the beginning of his existence abused

those gifts and chose to be by himself, making God his enemy.

He is a most powerful enemy that we have to contend with. St. Paul

warns us about this: “Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood,

but against the principalities, and the powers, against the

world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of

wickedness on high.” (Eph 6,11-12)

And we can easily delude ourselves by rationalizing that we can take

all the temptations, even to the extent of falling into the Napoleonic

complex of thinking only ordinary people obey laws, while the

extraordinary people have the right to transgress laws with impunity.

But we should remain calm and optimistic when tempted, since

temptations can usher great benefits to us. They point to us where we

are weak at, as well as what precious treasures we have since the

devil is provoked to tempt us. We usually are not aware of these

aspects of life until we are tempted.

Temptations also can occasion the urge to get closer to God,

developing more virtues and increasing our intimacy with him. In his

letter, St. James tells us, “Count it all joy when you shall fall into

diverse temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith works

patience...that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing.”

(1,2-4)

In other words, temptations can purify and strengthen us, and give us

an opportunity to grow in our spiritual life, in our love for God, and

in gaining more merits for our struggles, etc. Besides, we are assured

that with his grace God does not allow us to be tempted beyond our

capacity to resist.

St. Paul tells us that: “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to

be tempted above that which you are able, but will make also with

temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor 10,13)

The secret is to meditate on the example of how Christ dealt with his

own temptation. Consider the argument of St. Augustine: “If in Christ

we have been tempted, in him we overcame the devil. Do you think only

of Christ’s temptations and fail to think of his victory?

“See yourself as tempted in him, and see yourself as victorious in him.”