Moments and Models of our Humanity (Lent I)

In this Sunday's Gospel we hear Matthew's account of the temptation of Jesus in the desert. But why did the Devil even bother trying to tempt Jesus? Surely, he must have known that Jesus' divinity was beyond even his reach.

Of course it is, but the Devil's temptation didn't target Jesus' divinity. Instead, it appealed to his humanity. To his fear, his hunger, his pride. Those things that he was feeling in the moment. And these are the ways that sin enters into our lives too.

But this is the great gift of God's incarnation.

The Catechism affirms the teaching of the early Church that Jesus, being true God and true man, is like us in all things but sin. His humanity, therefore, is a model for us of how we can be fully human, and yet not succumb to weakness, even in the face of temptation.

Jesus' example reassures us that the Spirit of God dwelling in us - the same breath that the story of our creation tells us first brought us to life - is far more powerful than our hunger, our fears, and even our pride.

This is also the great gift of our faith as a not just a community, but a communion. We all struggle from time to time to live up to the divine spark of our own incarnation. But gathered together in the Eucharist, we are encouraged by the example of those that, despite their own weakness, are on track at that moment in time. And we draw hope from that.

As we commence our Lenten journey then, let us follow together in the footsteps of the One that preceded us into the wilderness, and step into the fullness of hope, and our humanity.

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