MEDITATION FOR QUADRAGESIMA SUNDAY
JESUS RETIRES INTO THE DESERT AND IS TEMPTED
“Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards He was hungry” (Matt. 4, 1-2).
First Prelude: Behold our Divine Saviour in the desert, setting us a striking example of the most rigorous penance, by prayer and fasting.
Second Prelude: O Divine Saviour, teach me, by Thy holy example, how to prepare myself for missions of love and for the combat of temptations.
First Point
JESUS, LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO THE DESERT
Returning from the Jordan after His baptism, Jesus was led by the Holy Ghost into the desert. As Moses had fasted forty days before the Law of the Old Covenant was revealed to him, so Jesus would not announce the New Law of Grace before having fasted in the desert forty days and forty nights. He followed the impulse of the Holy Ghost of Whom it is written: “I will lead her into the wilderness and I will speak to her heart” (Osee 2, 14). We, too, were so fortunate as to hear the voice of the Holy Ghost which drew us into the seclusion of the cloister, where He continues to instruct us in the measure in which we devote ourselves to retirement and interior recollection. This is done, primarily, by the observance of religious silence. Silence draws God into the soul and makes her receptive for the operations of divine grace. “How gladly would I speak to souls” our Lord once said to St. Teresa, “but many do not hear My voice, because of the noise made by creatures.” Does not this complaint of our Saviour apply to us? What progress should we have made in the interior life if we had always lent a vigilant ear to the Holy Spirit, Who rescued us from the dangers of the world and led us along the beautiful paths of perfection! “Hearken,” He says to the Spouse, teaching her how to win the love of her heavenly Bridegroom, “hearken, O daughter, and see and incline thy ear” (Ps. 44-11).
It is impossible, however, to hear, to “hearken,” without being silent. Let us often look at our Divine Exemplar in the desert. Let us honor His holy silence by caution in the use of our tongue and by recollection of spirit. Let us seek our happiness and peace in the interior of our heart, where He dwells Whose presence amply compensates for the useless intercourse with creatures.
Second Point
JESUS, TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL
Our Lord and Saviour permitted Satan to tempt Him, for the consolation and instruction of His elect. He willed to teach us how to meet temptation. If He, the Holiest of the Holy, permitted the prince of darkness to approach Him in visible form and tempt Him to sensuality, to presumption, even to idolatry, then temptation in itself can be nothing sinful. Is it not expressly said that Jesus, impelled by the Holy Ghost, went into the desert, there to be tempted by Satan? In this world we must be tried by temptation and give God proofs of our fidelity; therefore, we should prepare to meet temptations, all the more, the higher we have set our goal. Jesus willed to be tempted after His baptism and after having fasted forty days and forty nights, in order to teach us that we are never secure against the onslaughts of the Evil One. While we are enjoying special interior consolations in the seclusion of the cloister, Satan often directs the most violent attacks against us, for he is envious of the grace of God dwelling in our hearts and desires nothing more ardently than to triumph over souls consecrated to God. Therefore does Holy Writ say: “Son, when thou comest to the service of God stand in justice and fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation” (Eccl. 2, 1).
From the manner in which our Lord was tempted, we know that the enemy takes advantage of our situation and seeks to utilize our respective needs. Seeing the Saviour exhausted with hunger and fatigue, he said to Him: “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (Matt. 4, 3). Likewise the tempter knows how to avail himself of the variable moods and dispositions of soul, in order to attain his object. Does he notice in souls striving after higher perfection that temptations to sensuality are easily resisted and conquered, then he flatters their pride, their egotism, for he understands quite well that thus he will more readily accomplish his purpose. Let us not fear the tempter, for Jesus, by His victory, has earned superabundant grace for us to ward off victoriously every attack of the Evil One. All his assaults will be but vain attempts, will even afford us opportunities of advancing from virtue to virtue and daily growing stronger in the grace of God.
Affections: I adore Thee, my Jesus, Thou Source of all strength and holiness. I thank Thee that Thou dost teach me by Thy holy example to prepare myself by prayer and mortification for the combat of temptations. Give me the grace to keep my soul through silence, that in accordance with the words of the prophet, I may find my strength and courage in silence. May this time of penance be for us all a time of grace and salvation. May we curb our evil inclinations by abstinence and renunciation, direct our mind towards God and zealously strive to acquire virtue. Be Thou, Divine Saviour, our strength and support, that through Thee we may achieve the victory over all our enemies.
Resolutions: I will practice those mortifications, in particular, which are most conducive to my advancement in perfection.
Spiritual Bouquet: “Behold, now is the time of grace; now are the days of salvation.”
Prayer: Soul of Christ . . .
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