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Homily for the First Sunday Of Lent
(Feb 25, 2007)

Story: This story comes from the monks of the Egyptian desert where there were many Christians in the 4^th and 5^th centuries. A younger monk went to an elder and confessed that he was constantly enduring sexual fantasies. The old monk whose well had dried up and did not have such temptations, told the young monk that he was not fit for monastic life. Seeing himself as unworthy, the young man set out to return to the world. On the way he encountered Abbot Apollo, who saw his despair and found from him what the old monk had told him.
     The holy Abbot Apollo responded: “Think it no strange thing, my son, and do not despair, for even at my age and observing the monastic life, I too am hard pressed by just such thoughts as these. Therefore do not give up when tested in this way. Trust in God’s compassion” The young monk took heart and returned to monastic life. But this is not the end of the story.
   Abbot Apollo went directly to the cell of the old monk, and standing outside prayed that the elder would be visited by the same temptations the young man had suffered.  His prayers were answered and soon the old monk ran from his cell convinced he could no longer be a monk.
Abbot Apollo stopped him: Go back to your cell, recognize your weakness and look to yourself. You could not battle the devil for even one day. All this has befallen you because when that young monk came to you for help against our common adversary, the devil, instead of anointing him with words of comfort, you sent him away in desperation.” 

I —Reading today’s Gospel, in Jesus’ temptations I see someone just like me.
I can really identify with Jesus, when I read about his struggles with Satan, much more than I can identify with his wonder working and his courageous death on the Cross.
I admire Jesus’ strength and goodness, but I will never be as holy as he is. But when he is being tempted, I realize that Jesus is just like me – fully human going through the struggles of life.

II)  The Body of Christ and Church leaders will be tempted by the same temptations which Jesus had.
   A)    Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread when he was hungry-- to use his power for his own benefit.  Church leaders are tempted to use our power for our own benefit: To ask for more money to make our lives more comfortable or To use sacraments as if they belong to the individual priest or bishop 

   B)     Satan tried to tempt Jesus to make a deal with him to advance the Kingdom of God
“All the Kingdom and power I will hand over to you, if you just fall down and worship me.”
   Some Churches will use any method just to win people over for Jesus; to fill the pews on Sunday morning. When they choose to never talk about suffering and the cross, are they watering down the Gospel of Jesus? are they making a deal with the devil?
    Even though personally I think they are counter to the Gospel, as a pastor, I have been more and more tempted to go along with promoting endowments.  I don’t believe we should give money to the church and then tie it up forever; have it sit in the bank for 150 years while the needs of the church and the needs of the poor cry out to God. But I am tempted to make go along with all those who think this is a good way to raise money.  In the name of promoting God’s Kingdom am I making a deal with the Devil?

   C)    Jesus third temptation was to throw himself off the top of the temple and expect God to send angels to protect him. Is the church’s temptation to pray that God will do what we want and protect us, rather than to pray that we will be open to God’s will even when God asks the church to go through a time of diminishment and suffering in order that we be purified.

Conclusion: Jesus’ temptations assure me that he is human just like me.  And no one should be surprised when church leaders are tempted in so many ways, just as Jesus Christ was tempted.