6 March 2022
First Sunday of Lent
Jesus heard the voice of the devil when he was hungry. For good reason, this Gospel is one we most often associate with Lent. It presents an archetypal pattern of the spiritual life where a trial is constituted not only by exterior intensity (a desert) but by a voice speaking into our interiority (the evil spirit). As is the case with any Gospel, there is something revelatory here: Christians are not broken by misfortune but by the incessant temptation to stray from God in the midst of trial. In other words, Christians become “part of the world” only when they stop picking up the crosses which face our life.
The archetypical nature of this dynamic has resulted in commentary by countless spiritual masters. Ignatian spirituality refers to this dynamic between exterior circumstance and interior voice as the discernment of spirits. Among the first pieces of wisdom St. Ignatius asks us to accept that trial, difficulty, and desolation will come. In the same way, the whisperings of the evil spirit, too, will come. So how do we detect when a spiritual voice is not from God?
There is an easy way to detect the voice of the devil: whatever discourages us. Even when disguised under religious pretense, as evinced by the devil quoting Scripture, the evil spirit is present anytime a discouraging narrative about ourselves vies for our belief.
Already brought to our knees by suffering, it is upon acutely hearing that voice of discouragement when life tastes most bitter.
According to Pope Francis, in this Gospel, Jesus teaches us not to dialogue with the devil. What does this mean? Don’t give up on the “daily bread” of Christian life.
Allow yourself to struggle while attending the Sacraments. Let yourself feel the weight of the cross as you reveal your heart to a spiritual mentor or friend. Specifically, during this time of Lent, don’t let that bitter voice deter you from praying to God, fasting for your own spiritual sobriety, and from giving alms to those who rely on your generosity.