Dear John,

All of us suffer through temptations, including Jesus. How can we avoid sin as we face the traps of Satan?

First reading: Genesis 9:8-15

Psalm: 25:4-9

Second reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

Gospel: St. Mark 1:12-15

Today’s Gospel mentions the temptation of Jesus in the desert, which immediately followed His Baptism in the Jordan River.

We might wonder why God the Father allowed His Son to be tempted by Satan, but temptation is part of the experience of life. As Jesus felt pain, sorrow, and even death, He was not immune to the temptations of the world.

Unlike us, when He was tempted, He resisted every trick of the devil. Hebrews 4:15 tells us:

"For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning."

If we face temptations, it doesn’t mean that God has abandoned us. Temptation actually gives us an opportunity to answer the question: Whom will we serve? When we overcome temptation, we grow in virtue. Each time that we resist these temptations, we become stronger in our faith. This is why God allows these tests in our spiritual lives.

Christ won the victory over sin and temptation, which is why we need Him as we face the devil’s snares. Jesus courageously stood up to Satan with the Truth of Scripture. As we journey through this Lenten season, we can follow Jesus in His holy example of a prayerful, brave refusal of sin.

For a full schedule of Lenten programming on EWTN during this special season, please visit this page: https://www.ewtn.com/tv/specials/lent

Prayerfully,

Father Joseph