The wilderness can be a hauntingly beautiful place, yet also harsh and unforgiving. This truth is particularly evident in the desert landscape of much of Israel. There, in the wilderness — a place of privation and howling winds ­— hunger and thirst are laid bare. There, wild beasts lurk, and temptation stalks its prey.

Jesus, led by the Spirit, enters this wilderness. Not only in the literal sense but more importantly, he journeys into a metaphysical wasteland, the spiritual desert that characterises the domain of humanity. This is the place of exile, where, having been cast out from the garden, we no longer walk and talk with God in the cool of the evening (Genesis 3:8).

Temptation is a universal human experience. Jesus is not exempt. It’s not simply that the devil tried to tempt him. Rather, there in the harshness and aridity of that desolate wilderness, tormented by hunger and thirst, and utterly famished, scripture affirms that ‘he was tempted’. Let that sink in for a moment!

He, ‘who is like us in all things but sin’ (Hebrews 4:15) faces temptation on its home turf but does not yield.

‘If you are the Son of God’ — with this key phrase, the tempter challenges Jesus to doubt his very identity as Son. If the Father really loves you, would he allow you to suffer? If you are the Son of God, would he let you even dash a foot against a stone? If you are the Son of God, why does your life end in crushing suffering, desolate failure, and shameful torture upon the cross? This is the ‘opportune time’ foreshadowed by the text. This is the true hour of temptation.

How does Jesus overcome temptation? He lifts his eyes and heart to heaven, secure in his identity as Son. He remembers that his struggles are temporary, while the glory that awaits him is eternal.

In moments of temptation, let us follow Christ, who shows us how to navigate the wilderness. May we rebuke the tempter and lift our heart to God, worshiping God alone.

by Fr Michael Grace