Sunday Mass Sermon- Three Levels of Temptation

Today's Mass Sermon examines the the Levels of Temptation Jesus' experienced...
from the floor of the desert to the highest point in the Temple...
As it pertains to our journey..

14 min. YouTube video link below

Thanks for sharing. Magnificat magazine also featured a short meditation by Bishop Barron for this Sunday:

Lent is a time to return to spiritual basics: to explore, with particular focus, some of the most fundamental dynamics of the soul. By nature, we are all oriented to God. As Scripture has it, my soul rests in God alone (Ps 62:2). But in our sin, we foolishly seek after substitutes for God. During his time of temptation in the desert, Jesus himself entered into the deeply human experience of being lured by these simulacra of our true happiness. Hungry after forty days of fasting, Jesus hears the words of the devil: If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. What the tempter is suggesting is that the Lord should make sensual pleasure the center of his life. How many of us sinners are drawn in this direction! Replying, one does not live on bread alone, Jesus insinuates that the deepest hunger of the soul can never be satisfied by mere bodily contentment.

Leading him up a high mountain and displaying all the kingdoms of the world, the devil says, I shall give to you all this power and glory. This is the temptation toward power, an inclination that multitudes of men and women over the ages have found irresistible. Responding, you shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve, Jesus stipulates that no position of authority in this world could ever quiet the heart’s deepest longing.

Placing the Lord on the very pinnacle of the Temple, the devil urged Jesus to throw himself down, confident that God would send angels to protect him. This is the subtle but devastating temptation toward pride, putting oneself at the center of the universe, making God himself into one’s attendant. Every single one of us sinners, to varying degrees, falls prey to this sin—which is, of course, Satan’s own sin. Jesus resists him: you shall not put the Lord your God to the test.

Spend some time this Lent honestly asking yourself to what degree you are tempted toward sensual pleasure, power, and pride. And ask the Lord to help you stand firm against these seductions.

I was blown away by the explanation of “topography” with regard to the Temptations in today’s Gospel reading. Never heard that before... it’s like one of those things- how could I not see it... it’s easy to miss so much like that..I ough I’m no genius either.... I always knew Pride was considered the worst sin... but boom here it’s written in black and white the whole time. Always something to learn.
I love how your Bergsma post puts it all together as well, through a scriptural thematic tracing...I’ve always felt the lectionary is a jewel of the Church we don’t appreciate enough... Dr. Bergsma does though I think....
I really like that guy...he’s an OT brainiac to be sure... but I could never see the need to get to crazy about the Old .... but that guy ties so many things together, it makes so much sense... he’s funny too... We are lucky to have them break it down to a deeper biblical understanding.
I saw that one comment on your post- before it was removed- Spouting off about how “Lent” was “not in the Bible”... and all I could do was shake my head.
I’m like, Read the book!

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