First Lent Sunday, Year C
Theme: Don’t Play God 不可扮演天主
Traditionally, the Church teaches us to avoid temptations. Though such an approach is passive, it is nevertheless effective. On the other hand, this pandemic teaches us one more effective strategy --- to build up our immunity/defence system through vaccination or even natural infection. Not only is Lent a season of grace, it is also a season suitable for building up our defences against the Tempter.
Driven by the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:12), Jesus Christ the Son of God spent forty days in the desert, praying and fasting which strengthen His defences against Satan’s temptations. Yes, the Son of Man is truly human. He needs food and sleep like us. Similarly, He needs defences like any ordinary human does. Equipped with this enhanced defence through prayers and fasting, Jesus began His confrontation with the Devil. In the end, Jesus fought and won this battle in an elegant manner, thanks to the built-up of defence within those forty days. Without raising his fists or gnashing his teeth, Jesus simply quoted passages from Deuteronomy effortlessly to defeat the Great Liar. Isn’t Jesus elegant and graceful? Of course, we should never forget the role of the Holy Spirit in this spiritual warfare against Satan. Let’s invoke the help of the Holy Spirit.
Traditionally, the Church advocates prayer, fasting and alms-giving (Matthew 6:5-21) in Lent to prepare ourselves for the Paschal mystery of Christ! By a three-pronged approach, we reconcile with God through prayers, with ourselves through fasting and with our neighbour through alms-giving. At this moment of history when the global village is witnessing a pandemic and a bullying invasion, we inevitably deploy languages in a military tone. If prayer and fasting are our defences, then alms-giving will be our attacks. Through alms-giving, we empty ourselves and pour our life out for our needy neighbour! Not only do we strengthen the weakest links among us, but we also win over captives into our camp. We open ourselves up to God’s providence when we become weak and empty! In the Art of War, attack is the best defence. “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.” (Psalms 144:1)
In doing battles, it shall be a certain defeat when a soldier knows marching forwards only without stopping to scrutinize the ever changing battle scene. Similarly, in fighting this spiritual battle against Satan, it is a great temptation to throw down the gauntlet and engage in a full frontal attack! Restrain and vigilance are needed.
In the Old Testament, God proved that He had the power to cleanse the whole Creation with the Great Deluge. Yet, His great wisdom gave humanity a second chance and a family of eight was spared. God did not go over the board to the extreme. Once more, God demonstrated His might by wiping out the two sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. But before that, He allowed Abraham to bargain so as to allow him a chance to save his nephew Lot! When the Israelites grew impatient and built a golden calf to lead them back to Egypt, God intended to wipe them out and rebuild a people/nation through Moses. Yet, He allowed Moses to intercede and spare the Israelites (Exodus 32:7-14). In their stead, Moses bore the brunt and could not enter the Promised Land. When David had the opportunities to kill King Saul, he restrained from laying his hand on God’s anointed one (1 Samuel 24:7-8, 26:11-12), winning for himself God’s favour and later became the King of Israel who could truly unite the twelve tribes into one people and one kingdom!
Saving the world with economic means, turning stones into bread is a temptation because economic affluence will only breed greater greed which is insatiable! Saving the world with political means, either democratic compromises/negotiations or totalitarian shoving one’s ideology of political reform down the throats of all would only worsen the chaotic political scene today. But wishing to gain advantages in chaotic situations, powerful people would gamble and pitch P against B in order to maximize their own benefits, thus falling into temptation. What crisis is the whole world witnessing today? Russia is flexing her military muscles to bully Ukraine in the name of national security! She is pushing the whole world over the brim of yet another world war! Ancient Chinese way, particularly the idealized Tang dynasty, was a better approach. Her cultural affluence attracted neighbouring countries to come and learn, to offer tribute and join alliance with Tang, even becoming Chinese vassals without going into war!
The greatest temptation of all is the temptation to play God. That “Man was created in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27) is a sword that cuts both ways. Though Himself God, the Son of God shows us how NOT to play God by becoming flesh (John 1:14) and dying an extremely humiliating death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-8) Alas! “How the heroes had fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:27) Many a dictator fails to heed the lessons of King Saul whose ambitions overtook his capability. He failed to call on the Lord when he was in troubles (Psalms 91:15). Instead he relied on his own strength forgetting that he would have the most powerful protector of the known universe. Worse still, Saul had lost favour with God who is the ultimate master of human history. To overcome the temptation to play God, Jesus teaches us to be poor, be mournful, meek, hungry, merciful, pure in heart, peace-making and persevering in adversity (Matthew 5:3-11) which Pope Francis says is the identity card of Christians. (GE #63)!
Brethren! “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Invoke the Holy Spirit to help us make good use of the season of Lent to build up our defences against Satan. Remember the apostle’s advice: “Do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath;” (Romans 12:19) Vengeance belongs to God. Don’t play God. Leave Him room to execute righteousness.
God bless.
Picture Credit: ebay.com
2019 Reflection
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