GOSPEL READING: Mt 4:1-11
Jesus was tempted by the devil. How could this be so? Hebrews 4,16 says: “…one who has been tempted in every way, yet without sin”. He had a great vision at Baptism and then he was confirmed in his vocation and just at this moment there came the devil to distort him from his vocation. His vocation was to be a son of God and to serve the people being truly human.
The tempter tempted him on the very strength of his vocation. (You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased). The tempter attacked the strength of the person to make him weak at that. The tempter prompted him for satisfaction of the flesh (turn stone into bread); promised him power over the whole world (…will give all these to you…).
Jesus was well aware of the game. He relied on God and the word of God. He was committed to loving and serving God alone. Jesus overcame these trials at the beginning of his ministry or else he would have faced them later on in the midst of his ministry. Jesus focused his eyes on God and kept the word of God in his heart and moved on with the work of the kingdom of God.
சாத்தான் இயேசுவை சோதித்தது அவருடைய அடிப்படை இயல்பையே (இறைமகன்). இயேசுவின் பலம் அவர் இறைமகனாய் இருப்பதே. சாத்தான் அவரை ஊன்உடலின் மகனாக (அப்பம்), உலகின் மகனாக (செல்வம்) சோதிக்கிறான். ஆனால் இயேசு தனது இறைமகன் இயல்பை (இறைவார்த்தை, இறைவனை நம்புதல், இறைவனை சோதியாதிருத்தல்) விட்டுக்கொடுக்கவில்லை.
