”For when I am weak, then I am strong” - This is how the victory is won

Today at Holy Mass the theme of temptation was addressed…We hear in the Gospel of St Matthew that Jesus was tempted three time in desert by the devil….Jesus was God and he was tempted - That should tell us a few things - For one, temptation is very real and so is the devil….Second, if Jesus was tempted - How much more will we be tempted?…..”At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread”….Notice, when Jesus was hungry (i.e. in need) the devil appeared…..The same situation will happen to us….The devil does not sleep, he is also highly intelligent and knows every one of our weakness….The devil waits patiently to strike and when we are “in need”, that is the most opportune time to strike….So the question is - How do we combat this ancient foe?…..For one, we have to have “eyes to see”…..The devil does not come at us as a man with red horns on his head and a tail as he is portrayed in cartoons…The devil is crafty and only if we are in the state of grace will we “see” as we should…..God’s grace “opens our eyes” to sin….When we are living in the state of grace, we see “the potholes” in the road before we fall into them…That is the first step when it comes to resisting the temptations of the devil - “Seeing” the temptations for what they are!…..Today, good has been labeled as bad and conversely - Bad is viewed as good….Our people do not “see” properly and are easy targets for the devil……What else can we do to resist the devil?…….Ask yourself this question - Do we rely on our own strengthen or do we “put on the armor of God” as St Paul tells us?…..Sanctifying grace strengthens the human will to resist temptation….And living a Sacramental life elevates our human nature…When we graft our life into the life of Christ, we are fortified with “the tools” to resist temptation…But if we are foolish and think by and through our own strength we can resist temptation without God - We are finished…..The devil is infinitely more powerful than any human being!…But when we stand with God and Our Lady - The devil is powerless….What else can we do?……Remember this helpful saying - “Its easier to avoid temptation then to resist it”…We all have weakness - And if we know ourself well and know what sins we have an inclination towards the most, its better to avoid those situations…..What else is a good “tool” to help us resist temptation? - Strive to develop the virtue of humility…The devil does not know how to be humble and he preys on those who are full of pride…As St Paul instructs us….“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong”….The biggest mistake was can make, right from the start is to think the devil is not real - Because if we do - We are finished…The devil and evil are very real…But Jesus Christ conquered death and he has given us all “the tools” (through the one Church he founded) that we need to be victorious over our struggles with the world, the flesh and the devil.

“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God”

Before I was married I served with the Missionaries of Charity in New York City as their driver for seven years every weekend…During the course of that time I got to know a man by the name of Errol…..Errol for years lived on the street, he was an alcoholic…He told me when he lived on the street, he lived on cheap Chinese food and vodka…..Due to his bad lifestyle, Errol acquired AIDS and found himself living in the HIV Hospice for men run by Mother Teresa’s sisters - For a few years Errol live there and one day at a time rebuilt his life - He stayed away from alcohol and developed slowly a relationship with God…..After a while, he moved out of the hospice into his own apartment in Brooklyn and was doing good…..Until he met a young woman, who moved in with him and before you know it, he was drinking again…..Due to all the damage he did to his body over the years he spent living on the street and drinking…It did not take long before his bad habits returned - And Errol was found dead in less than six months……Notice! - How as soon as Errol “opened the door” to sin by living with a woman outside of wedlock, the devil swooped in for the kill….Sin starts off slow and builds upon itself….This is why we first must “see” sin for what is, from the start, and keep the “door” to sin shut!

“Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him”

Today at Mass we hear a story that most of us are very familiar with - The story of Jesus going into the desert to fast and confronting the devil….Lent is a time when we come face to face with ourself…..If we take the forty days of Lent seriously, we will see just how “attached” we are to certain behaviors - Even some behaviors we “think” are harmless…..And through our sacrifices made during this sacred time, God will show us that not only is His grace very real but grace is all we need to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil - We realize this, believe it or not, by becoming vulnerable as a result of our fasting - And when we are vulnerable, we cling to God - In this state, God’s helping hand becomes very clear to us - And in turn, our faith will grow!…..Over the many years, I have found Lent to be extremely beneficial to my spiritual growth…..Forty days of fasting is a kind of “training ground” to prepare us for “the battle” that is ahead….Notice how Jesus went into the desert and fasted for forty days before he entered Jerusalem and underwent his passion….While our “mission” is very different from Jesus Christ, we too must prepare!….No matter what our vocation is, we must deepen our interior life in order to be successful in completely what God has given us to accomplish in our life time…If we think we are going to live as God intended us to live as Catholics, rely solely upon our own strength and talents - Think again!….We must follow the example of Jesus and prepare! - And Lent is a time of preparation - A time for us to learn not only about our self but about how God will come to our aide with His grace…..”For when I am weak, then I am strong” - This is how the victory is won……………..JMJ