The Temptation to Love

Temptation often seems to leave us frustrated. We ask God why he would allow such obstacles in our life. Yet in today’s Gospel we see Jesus freely entering into the wilderness to be tempted. He goes to do battle with the devil. While we too do battle with the devil, our temptations often come just from our fallen nature, our own human weakness. We shouldn’t get discouraged by temptation, even when we fail. Each time we are tested, it is an opportunity to tell God that we love him. If we had no freedom, there would be no temptation, but there would also be no love.

As you carry out the various Lenten disciplines that you voluntarily undertake this Lent, you might wonder how hard you should be on yourself. The thing about Lent is that there really aren’t any strict rules for “giving things up.” We abstain from meat on Friday’s of course, but beyond that…it’s up to you. So, how much and what to give up? It all depends on how much you want to grow and how many opportunities you want to tell God that you love him.