In this picture from the movie Les Miserables, Jean, Valjean is lost, dejected and in the midst of terrible temptation. As the season of Lent approaches, I recall Jesus' 40 days of wandering through the desert where he was tempted by the devil.
The devil, satan, the evil spirit, ---- whatever we call that "force" that tries to tear us away from living as we are created to live, choosing virtue and good, that "force" is real. It seems as if some in our modern society would like to ignore this truth. However, when I watch the news or read the newspaper each day, I am confronted by the evil people sometimes choose to do. Sometimes that evil is a horrendous choice. Sometimes it is an honest mistake, born of human weakness. Temptation from the devil is real. When we are fooled into thinking satan does not exist, we are opening the door and letting the evil spirit waltz right into our lives.
It is easy to notice the temptation in other's lives. In the movie or while reading Victor Hugo's masterpiece, I can see Valjean struggling to be an honest man. I can shake my head in shock when I hear of another terrorist plot, another abusive relationship or another politician's "big sin" made known to the world right before election time. It is not as easy for me to catch myself being tempted in my own life and, that is, after all, what is most important, right? Did not Jesus tell me to take the beam out of my own eye, before I go pointing out to others the splinters I see in them?
Each time I catch myself ready to welcome the influence of the evil spirit in to my life, I am reminded by my Resurrection Spirituality that at my weakest times, when I cannot overcome a temptation on my own and feel powerless, it is then that I need to reach for the unseen hand of the Risen Christ to supply my strength. It is then that I am strong.
Lent begins this coming Ash Wednesday. To be sure, the evil spirit will not want me to grow closer to Christ and will use every possible scheme imaginable to tear me away from deepening my faith and from my relationship with Christ. Let us pray for each other, dear reader, that each of us may rise with God's grace, from the struggles we have to be the disciples we have been called to be. May the Holy Spirit guide us.
The devil, satan, the evil spirit, ---- whatever we call that "force" that tries to tear us away from living as we are created to live, choosing virtue and good, that "force" is real. It seems as if some in our modern society would like to ignore this truth. However, when I watch the news or read the newspaper each day, I am confronted by the evil people sometimes choose to do. Sometimes that evil is a horrendous choice. Sometimes it is an honest mistake, born of human weakness. Temptation from the devil is real. When we are fooled into thinking satan does not exist, we are opening the door and letting the evil spirit waltz right into our lives.
It is easy to notice the temptation in other's lives. In the movie or while reading Victor Hugo's masterpiece, I can see Valjean struggling to be an honest man. I can shake my head in shock when I hear of another terrorist plot, another abusive relationship or another politician's "big sin" made known to the world right before election time. It is not as easy for me to catch myself being tempted in my own life and, that is, after all, what is most important, right? Did not Jesus tell me to take the beam out of my own eye, before I go pointing out to others the splinters I see in them?
Each time I catch myself ready to welcome the influence of the evil spirit in to my life, I am reminded by my Resurrection Spirituality that at my weakest times, when I cannot overcome a temptation on my own and feel powerless, it is then that I need to reach for the unseen hand of the Risen Christ to supply my strength. It is then that I am strong.
Lent begins this coming Ash Wednesday. To be sure, the evil spirit will not want me to grow closer to Christ and will use every possible scheme imaginable to tear me away from deepening my faith and from my relationship with Christ. Let us pray for each other, dear reader, that each of us may rise with God's grace, from the struggles we have to be the disciples we have been called to be. May the Holy Spirit guide us.
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