“Lured and Enticed by Our Own Desire” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)
Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one. Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” (James 1:12-14)
Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord. (Psalm 94:12)
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." (Mark 8:14-15)
Piety
Lord, help me to put to death my desires and to put you first, last, and always.
Study
James nails it in today’s first reading: “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.”
There’s no point in us coming up with a form of Adam and Eve’s excuse that someone or something made them stray from the Lord’s path. They made that decision for themselves. And so do we.
Yes, the evil one can offer us some shiny objects and glittering promises in his efforts to snare our souls. He did that to Jesus, you’ll remember. But shiny and glittering isn’t always the way to get inside of us; desire also has a dark side. The evil one knows that, and for those of us who struggle with believing the Lord loves us and cares for us, Satan is perfectly happy to frame his pitch that way too. He tells us we’re just not worth it and we are fools to believe in the One who believes in us.
Like the disciples in that boat in today’s Gospel reading, we’ve only got one loaf of bread, only one Bread of Life. As we prepare for Lent, may we strap on our interior spiritual armor and resolve to let those temptations die within us and to hold on to that loaf for dear life.
Action
Consider discussing a temptation that seems too delicious to resist with your confessor or a trusted friend. Ask that person to pray with you that your desire may be quelled and resisted.
Image Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/dough-mixing-spoon-bread-rising-196235/ by Birgit H.
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