It might seem shocking that, so soon after Christmas, we are beginning the Lenten journey, preparing ourselves for the painful drama of Easter and trusting that somehow life will emerge out of darkness and death. And yet this year, maybe more than most, many of us are already in a Lent state of mind and very attuned to the wilderness experience. (Lent One. Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 91; Romans 10:4-13; and Luke 4:1-15.)
You may wish to read what I wrote three years ago on Remembering the stories that inform us.
In many ways we in the church, with the way our church calendar is organised, celebrate the journey Jesus takes from birth to baptism and the beginning of his ministry to death and resurrection in the first few months of the year and then we spend the rest of the year reflecting on how to live as a consequence of his saving life, death and resurrection.
We might consider the journey to Jerusalem and the cross as a Hero’s journey, or in literary terms the anti-hero’s journey. In some parts of the tradition this is known as the Fool’s journey and in our present world the life, teaching, loving, dying and resurrection of the Christ is very much the foolishness of God made visible! But maybe more simply Lent takes us on the soul’s journey.
It is good to first remember from last week’s celebration of the transfiguration that Jesus was fully human and fully divine. Therefore it is a hero’s journey like every other and it is a journey like no other! It is a journey that we too will need to go on with Jesus and it is journey that in some ways only the Christ can undertake. Lent is not a time to passively watch from the side lines. It is a time for us to prepare to journey with Jesus through life’s many tasks and trials and through death itself so that we might fully live.
In many ways the temptations of Jesus are not the first step in the journey of Jesus the hero. His baptism marks the real beginning of his ministry. But it is in the wilderness that he is initiated and prepared for his journey. The gospel says that he was led by the spirit into the wilderness and so we can read into this that it was part of God’s care for his Son that led to this time of trial. So whilst it is the devil he wrestles with it is all part of the spiritually necessary journey of becoming sure of who he is, what his task is, and where and what informs his teaching and living.
Just as developmental psychologist’s tell us that the infant must develop trust, firstly in the parent figure, so that they can live lives of trust and satisfying relationships, so too the hero must develop certainty about who they are and what their purpose is so that they can trust themselves in the tasks ahead.
Jesus was alone, and not alone, in the wilderness as he struggled with these temptations. He may not have had any earthly companions but he had his relationship with his father God and the wisdom of his people. His deep knowledge of Scripture meant that he was not alone when it came to discerning the temptations of the devil. Jesus was alone in the wilderness but out there he met himself, his Father, and his forebears, as well as the devil. And this is part of the Lenten journey, the hero’s journey, that we must undertake for ourselves. We too need to recognise those times of struggle that are opportunities to grow in the spirit. What are our temptations when we are left to our own company? Are you tempted by power, even the power to do “good” or to be right? Are you tempted by knowledge, the desire to know and to understand what is happening at all times? Are you tempted to despair, to giving up on yourself or those you love or human kind or the planet? Are you tempted by security – the desire to have just enough money, friends, health, good will in the bank that you will never have to risk relying fully on God or anyone else?
We cannot overcome our temptations if we do not first know what they are. Sometimes we have to go somewhere quiet so that what is often just a background nagging whisper can be heard as the roar it is. Then we can dialogue with our temptations. And it is in such a dialogue that the company of Scripture, spiritual friends, wise words from our tradition, can help us engage fully and trustingly in this difficult yet defining work.
The temptations of Christ were not over in the wilderness – just think ahead to the garden of Gethsemane – but the spiritually defining work done here informed all of Jesus’ ministry including on the cross. Likewise what we do this Lent will not exempt us from future work but it will refine further our spiritual development into the people God has called us to be.
And as Jesus looked back to the wisdom of his people so we can look back to the wisdom of our tradition to guide us: the tradition of Scripture and the saints, mystics and prophets who have come since. We can lean into the experience and courage of the peaceful protest traditions and the great social justice campaigns of the past. And we can trust that struggle and temptation engaged with fully will lead us into deeper relationship with God. Our Lord and Saviour is one who fully understands struggle and knows deeply that our selves and God are as much to be found in honest struggle with temptation as we are to found in glorious worship and certainty of doctrine.
Living a spiritual life does not necessarily mean we are always at peace and certain about things. Indeed the more we give ourselves over to God the more disturbance we are likely to experience as we are called by God’s way which is not always the way of the world.
This Lent may Christ make himself known to us in the quiet recesses of our hearts and in the clamorous demands of our lives. And if this struggle is too disturbing do remember it is a journey we take together. Seek out faithful travelling companions to keep your spirits tender and cared for. And most of all take it all, even the questions and the doubts, to the Lord in prayer.
Even so, come Lord Jesus, come refine us in your love.
This is my work informed by everything I have heard, read and experienced. I am indebted to the wisdom of others.
You can still the Lenten study which reflects on the Revised Common Lectionary readings for this year. You will find another reflection on these texts for Day Six of Week One.
