As we begin this sacred season of Lent, many of us arrive with plans already in mind. We have chosen certain penances, given something up, or committed to an extra practice. Those are good and worthwhile decisions. But for a moment, it is helpful to set those plans aside—not to dismiss them, but to open our minds more fully to what Lent is really about.
It is easy to approach Lent in a superficial way. We may see it simply as a time to give up chocolate, avoid meat on Fridays, or put a few extra dollars in the collection basket. None of these practices are wrong. In fact, they are good. But Lent invites us to something deeper than small adjustments. It calls us to conversion of heart.
We are all familiar with the Bible passage in Matthew where Jesus enters the desert. Before beginning His public ministry, Jesus withdraws into a place of emptiness, silence, and testing. He does not go there to avoid the devil, but to face him. One of the most consistent spiritual principles in Scripture is that evil is not defeated by ignoring it, but by confronting it honestly.
We see this principle in the Old Testament story of the bronze serpent. After the Israelites were bitten by poisonous snakes, God instructed Moses to lift up a bronze serpent on a pole. Those who looked upon it were healed. They were saved by facing what they feared most and seeing it for what it truly was. Healing came not through avoidance, but through confrontation.
The desert is the setting for Jesus’ temptations because it strips away distractions. In the silence and emptiness, the most important questions come to the surface: Who am I? What is my purpose? What truly matters? In that space, Jesus encounters three temptations that reveal three common substitutes for God—three false “highest goods” that can quietly take over our lives.
The first temptation is the temptation of pleasure. The devil urges Jesus to turn stones into bread after forty days of fasting. This represents the desire to make comfort, pleasure, or sensual satisfaction the ultimate goal of life. Whether it is food, money, possessions, or experiences, this temptation asks us to believe that fulfillment comes from satisfying our appetites. Jesus responds, “Man does not live by bread alone,” acknowledging that while these things are necessary, they are not the highest good.
The second temptation is the temptation of power. The devil offers Jesus authority over all the kingdoms of the world. Power itself is not evil, but when it becomes the ultimate good, it quickly corrupts. When power replaces God, the results can be devastating. Jesus rejects this temptation by affirming that only God deserves our worship and allegiance.
The third temptation is the temptation of glory. Placed at the top of the temple, Jesus is urged to draw attention to Himself and force God’s hand. This is the temptation of ego, admiration, and recognition—the desire to be seen, noticed, and praised. Jesus responds by refusing to test God and refusing to center Himself.
These three temptations are where our own struggles often lie. This is why the Church gives us fasting, almsgiving, and prayer during Lent. We fast to confront our attachment to pleasure. We give alms to loosen our grip on power and control. We pray to humble ourselves and place God back at the center.
Lent is not about avoiding our weaknesses. It is about facing them honestly. Our freedom and healing come through the very temptations we are tempted to escape. When we confront what we place above God and choose Him instead, that is where true conversion begins.
Father James Schibi , Pastor