Temptations in the wilderness Luke 4:1-13
Imaginative Contemplation
Enter into the scene
Imagine what the wilderness was like; empty, lonely, no food or water, cold at night, hot during the day, seemingly endless and timeless.
Imagine Jesus spending time in such a place.
What would be the dangers of such a place? What would be the advantages?
Imagine Jesus spending time there.
For further reflection
Discuss with Jesus the following points:
V1 -4 After Jesus returned from the Jordan, he was full of the Holy Spirit. Then he was led to the desert for forty days without food.
· When have I felt excited, uplifted, very happy?
· What was the cause of this emotion?
· How would I put this emotion into words?
· How did I respond to this feeling?
Led into the desert
· When have I felt as though I were in a desert?
· What was the desert like?
o Time stretching out with no end in sight?
o A feeling of uncertainty, feeling lost?
· How was I able to get out of the desert?
· What lessons did I learn in the desert?
V3-15 Jesus, tempted by the devil
· Jesus is truly human, even to being tempted.
· Consider… how do I get my food? How can I share the food I have? How can I recognise the needs of others and fulfil these needs?
· Does my food come from sustainable sources? Do I remember to pray before and after a meal?
V5-8 The devil took Jesus up and showed him in a second all the kingdoms of the world. “I will give you all this power and all this wealth… All this will be yours if you fall down before me,” the devil said. But Jesus answered, The Scripture says, worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”
· What kind of authority is Jesus going to use in his ministry? Where does this authority come from? How can discernment help us in making decisions?
· When authority is usurped and used for one’s own aggrandisement, how does that affect other people? Where do I see this happening in the world today?
V9 – 12 Then the devil took Jesus to the highest point on the Jerusalem Temple and said to him, “If you are God’s son, throw yourself down, because God’s angels will take good care of you.” “Jesus said, ‘The scripture says ‘You must not put the Lord your God to the test.”
Taking unnecessary risks, working beyond my strength, thinking I can do it alone, leads to disaster.
· How can the Examen help me to discern my actions?
· Here the devil distorted the scripture passage. How can I ensure that my interpretation of the Scriptures is the right one for this occasion?
· Do I have a Spiritual Director or someone with whom I can discuss important matters?
Prayer
Our Father, … lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.