God, Or The World?
Sermon
Sermons on the Gospel Readings
Series I, Cycle A
He was a man of mystery and charm; he was a man of brokenness and faith. He was hunted down like a common criminal; his only crime was seeking God's glory. The "Whiskey Priest" lived in Southern Mexico. The time was the 1920s; the Cristero Rebellion was underway. The Whiskey Priest was not perfect - far from it. He drank too much; he had fathered a child. In those days, the Mexican government said that is was illegal to practice the priesthood, but that did not stop the Whiskey Priest. Everything he did; the Masses, baptisms, funerals, and weddings had to be conducted in secret, staying one step ahead of the authorities.
The Federales and their commanding lieutenant represented the government. This band of soldiers possessed the power. It was their job to find the Whiskey Priest, to stop his activity, and ultimately to eliminate him. The hunt went from town to town, village to village. In one village the lieutenant knew the Whiskey Priest had been present, yet the residents would say nothing. The lieutenant was more persuasive; he selected five villagers at random, lined them up in the town square and shot them in order to loosen the tongues of the others.
The Whiskey Priest was living on borrowed time; he knew this to be true. He continued to move from town to town. The winter rains helped him "disappear" in the mountain highlands for a few precious extra weeks of freedom. The Federales would win, however, it was just a matter of time. In the end he was found, tried, convicted, and executed - a common criminal to the government but a martyr and a hero to the people he served.
British novelist Graham Greene's epic tale, The Power and the Glory describes the conflict between broken, sinful, and incomplete humanity, symbolized by the Whiskey Priest, that seeks the glory of God, and the power, wealth, and prestige of the world, characterized by the Federales. On this first Sunday in Lent, our gospel describes a similar struggle - the kingdom of God versus the kingdom of the world.
The first great temptation is to gain power. After his forty--day fast in the desert, Matthew tells us that Jesus was hungry. Thus, Satan appeals to the physical dimension of Jesus' character to satisfy his hunger: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into bread." The devil's challenge seems reasonable under the circumstances, but Jesus turns the tables on Satan and responds, citing the scriptures, "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Jesus is able to forego the desire of power and to rise above the temptation. The power suggested by Satan does not attract Jesus.
The second temptation is prestige. Satan takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple, the most sacred place in all Judaism, to make his plea. Satan realizes that Jesus is an important person. His prestige is so great that the heavenly host of angels will not allow any harm to come to Jesus. Thus, he chides the Lord, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up, so you will not dash your foot against a stone.' " Jesus is above the fray again. He knows who he is and does not need the recognition suggested by Satan. Knowing he is God is sufficient prestige for Jesus. The prestige that the world claims is so important - namely having people see and recognize your importance - is of no significance for the Lord.
The last great temptation is wealth. Satan takes Jesus to a high mountain and displays before him all the kingdoms of the earth and says, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." The irony of the temptation is significant since Satan offers Jesus what he already possesses. All things are from God and, thus, all belongs to God; Satan controls nothing. Jesus responds in what must have been an exasperated tone of voice: "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.' " Jesus already possesses all that he needs. Whatever Satan can offer is of no value, for it is already his.
Jesus' temptations in the desert have been understood by scripture scholars in three different ways. Some suggest that the confrontation was Matthew's way of explaining Jesus' inner turmoil after his baptism - his need to sort out his experience and come to grips with his Messianic consciousness and his future public ministry. The most popular scholarly opinion concerning Jesus' temptation is ethical in nature, suggesting that the events recounted are presented as a model for Jesus' disciples, present and future, on how to resist temptation. The third model held by some scholars is more Christological, seeing in the confrontation what the Matthean community might have understood Jesus to be. The events demonstrate the triumph of the Son of God over the forces of evil. The popular ethical understanding shows how Jesus in his encounter with Satan was able to triumph over evil and was, thus, more faithful than Israel, which had fallen victim to temptation and sin throughout its history. Neither the judges, kings, nor prophets of ancient Israel could reign in the rebellious Hebrews who transgressed God's Law through their idolatry and social indifference to the poor and more marginalized peoples of Hebrew society.
Jesus' obedient action in the desert serves as a counter to the disobedience of Adam, as recounted in the book of Genesis. Adam and Eve transgressed God's command. They had everything they could possibly need; God did not leave out one detail. Yet, they still wanted more; they wanted knowledge and to be like God. Their desire for power, wealth, and prestige cost them everything. They lost their innocence and their place in paradise. Temptation triumphed and sin entered the world. Fortunately, however, even though Adam and Eve failed, Jesus of Nazareth, the new Adam, through his obedience to God triumphed for us. Saint Paul, in one of the most theologically significant passages in his entire corpus (Romans 5:18--19) tells us: "Just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." It is through the obedience of Jesus, countering the sin of Adam, that we have the opportunity to live and even flourish in a sometimes difficult and troublesome world.
Saint Matthew's version of the temptation in the desert is his way to show his readers that any route to the kingdom of God cannot bypass Jesus, yet temptation lurks around every corner. As we celebrate this first Sunday in Lent we must ask ourselves the question, where do we stand, with God or the world? Concerning power - does the desire for power consume us? If we have power do we use it for personal gain or for the betterment of all? Is power a thing of value and a necessity, or can we live without it? With regard to prestige, do we do things so others will notice? Do we use our position to dominate others? Or, do we seek the glory of God and not concern ourselves with what society might think? With respect to wealth, are we seeking to outdistance our neighbor by what we have? Is money the item around which our world revolves? Is it the solution to all our problems or is it simply a means to an end in the consumer--driven society of contemporary American life? In short, have power, prestige, and money become the gods to which we pay homage?
We are often tempted by material things, opportunities, and possibilities of contemporary life - items that we generally know will only lead us away from God. The choice to avoid such temptations is ours and, thus, we must be wary of their allure. A Native American folk tale describes this problem: One day an Indian youth, in an effort to prepare for manhood, hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees and decorated with many lovely flowers. There he fasted and prayed, but on the third day he looked up at the surrounding mountains and noticed one tall and rugged peak capped with snow. He decided that he would test himself by climbing this mountain. Thus, he put on his buckskin shirt, wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, and set out to climb the peak. When he reached the top he looked out from the rim to the world so far below. Then he heard a rustling sound and, looking around, saw a snake slithering about. Before he could move, the snake spoke to him, "I am about to die. It's too cold for me up here; I am freezing. There is little food and I am starving. Please put me under your shirt where I will be warm and take me down the mountain." The young man protested, "No. I have been forewarned about your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up you will bite me and I might die." But the snake answered, "Not so. I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special to me, I will not harm you, and you will receive whatever you want." The young man resisted for some time, but this was a very persuasive snake with beautiful diamond markings. At last the young man tucked the snake under his shirt and carried it down the mountain. Once in the valley he gently placed the snake on the ground. Suddenly the snake coiled, rattled, and then bit the man on the leg. "You promised me!" cried the youth. "You knew what I was when you picked me up," said the snake, which then slithered away.
Sometimes we rationalize our actions as well. A comical, but illustrative, story shows us how adept we are at this practice: A very overweight man decided that it was time to shed a few pounds. He went on a new diet and took it seriously. He even changed his usual driving route to the office in order to avoid his favorite bakery. One morning, however, he arrived at the office carrying a large, sugar--coated coffee cake. His office mates roundly chided him, but he only smiled, shrugged his shoulders and said, "What could I do? This is a very special cake. This morning, out of my forced habit, I accidentally drove by my favorite bakery. There in the window were trays of the most delicious goodies. I felt that it was no accident that I happened to pass by, so I prayed, 'Lord, if you really want me to have one of these delicious coffee cakes, let me find a parking place in front of the bakery.' Sure enough, on the ninth trip around the block, there it was!"
Temptation is strong, but we must be stronger. We should not tempt fate and we should not rationalize our actions. We need to ask ourselves a fundamental question: Will we stand on the side of the broken and sinful human, the Whiskey Priest, who seeks the glory of God or will we seek the allure of power, wealth, and prestige, cave into temptation and rationalize our actions, like the Federales? God, as Saint Paul reminds us, calls us always to seek the higher realms. Now, our response is awaited.
The Federales and their commanding lieutenant represented the government. This band of soldiers possessed the power. It was their job to find the Whiskey Priest, to stop his activity, and ultimately to eliminate him. The hunt went from town to town, village to village. In one village the lieutenant knew the Whiskey Priest had been present, yet the residents would say nothing. The lieutenant was more persuasive; he selected five villagers at random, lined them up in the town square and shot them in order to loosen the tongues of the others.
The Whiskey Priest was living on borrowed time; he knew this to be true. He continued to move from town to town. The winter rains helped him "disappear" in the mountain highlands for a few precious extra weeks of freedom. The Federales would win, however, it was just a matter of time. In the end he was found, tried, convicted, and executed - a common criminal to the government but a martyr and a hero to the people he served.
British novelist Graham Greene's epic tale, The Power and the Glory describes the conflict between broken, sinful, and incomplete humanity, symbolized by the Whiskey Priest, that seeks the glory of God, and the power, wealth, and prestige of the world, characterized by the Federales. On this first Sunday in Lent, our gospel describes a similar struggle - the kingdom of God versus the kingdom of the world.
The first great temptation is to gain power. After his forty--day fast in the desert, Matthew tells us that Jesus was hungry. Thus, Satan appeals to the physical dimension of Jesus' character to satisfy his hunger: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into bread." The devil's challenge seems reasonable under the circumstances, but Jesus turns the tables on Satan and responds, citing the scriptures, "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Jesus is able to forego the desire of power and to rise above the temptation. The power suggested by Satan does not attract Jesus.
The second temptation is prestige. Satan takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple, the most sacred place in all Judaism, to make his plea. Satan realizes that Jesus is an important person. His prestige is so great that the heavenly host of angels will not allow any harm to come to Jesus. Thus, he chides the Lord, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up, so you will not dash your foot against a stone.' " Jesus is above the fray again. He knows who he is and does not need the recognition suggested by Satan. Knowing he is God is sufficient prestige for Jesus. The prestige that the world claims is so important - namely having people see and recognize your importance - is of no significance for the Lord.
The last great temptation is wealth. Satan takes Jesus to a high mountain and displays before him all the kingdoms of the earth and says, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." The irony of the temptation is significant since Satan offers Jesus what he already possesses. All things are from God and, thus, all belongs to God; Satan controls nothing. Jesus responds in what must have been an exasperated tone of voice: "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.' " Jesus already possesses all that he needs. Whatever Satan can offer is of no value, for it is already his.
Jesus' temptations in the desert have been understood by scripture scholars in three different ways. Some suggest that the confrontation was Matthew's way of explaining Jesus' inner turmoil after his baptism - his need to sort out his experience and come to grips with his Messianic consciousness and his future public ministry. The most popular scholarly opinion concerning Jesus' temptation is ethical in nature, suggesting that the events recounted are presented as a model for Jesus' disciples, present and future, on how to resist temptation. The third model held by some scholars is more Christological, seeing in the confrontation what the Matthean community might have understood Jesus to be. The events demonstrate the triumph of the Son of God over the forces of evil. The popular ethical understanding shows how Jesus in his encounter with Satan was able to triumph over evil and was, thus, more faithful than Israel, which had fallen victim to temptation and sin throughout its history. Neither the judges, kings, nor prophets of ancient Israel could reign in the rebellious Hebrews who transgressed God's Law through their idolatry and social indifference to the poor and more marginalized peoples of Hebrew society.
Jesus' obedient action in the desert serves as a counter to the disobedience of Adam, as recounted in the book of Genesis. Adam and Eve transgressed God's command. They had everything they could possibly need; God did not leave out one detail. Yet, they still wanted more; they wanted knowledge and to be like God. Their desire for power, wealth, and prestige cost them everything. They lost their innocence and their place in paradise. Temptation triumphed and sin entered the world. Fortunately, however, even though Adam and Eve failed, Jesus of Nazareth, the new Adam, through his obedience to God triumphed for us. Saint Paul, in one of the most theologically significant passages in his entire corpus (Romans 5:18--19) tells us: "Just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." It is through the obedience of Jesus, countering the sin of Adam, that we have the opportunity to live and even flourish in a sometimes difficult and troublesome world.
Saint Matthew's version of the temptation in the desert is his way to show his readers that any route to the kingdom of God cannot bypass Jesus, yet temptation lurks around every corner. As we celebrate this first Sunday in Lent we must ask ourselves the question, where do we stand, with God or the world? Concerning power - does the desire for power consume us? If we have power do we use it for personal gain or for the betterment of all? Is power a thing of value and a necessity, or can we live without it? With regard to prestige, do we do things so others will notice? Do we use our position to dominate others? Or, do we seek the glory of God and not concern ourselves with what society might think? With respect to wealth, are we seeking to outdistance our neighbor by what we have? Is money the item around which our world revolves? Is it the solution to all our problems or is it simply a means to an end in the consumer--driven society of contemporary American life? In short, have power, prestige, and money become the gods to which we pay homage?
We are often tempted by material things, opportunities, and possibilities of contemporary life - items that we generally know will only lead us away from God. The choice to avoid such temptations is ours and, thus, we must be wary of their allure. A Native American folk tale describes this problem: One day an Indian youth, in an effort to prepare for manhood, hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees and decorated with many lovely flowers. There he fasted and prayed, but on the third day he looked up at the surrounding mountains and noticed one tall and rugged peak capped with snow. He decided that he would test himself by climbing this mountain. Thus, he put on his buckskin shirt, wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, and set out to climb the peak. When he reached the top he looked out from the rim to the world so far below. Then he heard a rustling sound and, looking around, saw a snake slithering about. Before he could move, the snake spoke to him, "I am about to die. It's too cold for me up here; I am freezing. There is little food and I am starving. Please put me under your shirt where I will be warm and take me down the mountain." The young man protested, "No. I have been forewarned about your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up you will bite me and I might die." But the snake answered, "Not so. I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special to me, I will not harm you, and you will receive whatever you want." The young man resisted for some time, but this was a very persuasive snake with beautiful diamond markings. At last the young man tucked the snake under his shirt and carried it down the mountain. Once in the valley he gently placed the snake on the ground. Suddenly the snake coiled, rattled, and then bit the man on the leg. "You promised me!" cried the youth. "You knew what I was when you picked me up," said the snake, which then slithered away.
Sometimes we rationalize our actions as well. A comical, but illustrative, story shows us how adept we are at this practice: A very overweight man decided that it was time to shed a few pounds. He went on a new diet and took it seriously. He even changed his usual driving route to the office in order to avoid his favorite bakery. One morning, however, he arrived at the office carrying a large, sugar--coated coffee cake. His office mates roundly chided him, but he only smiled, shrugged his shoulders and said, "What could I do? This is a very special cake. This morning, out of my forced habit, I accidentally drove by my favorite bakery. There in the window were trays of the most delicious goodies. I felt that it was no accident that I happened to pass by, so I prayed, 'Lord, if you really want me to have one of these delicious coffee cakes, let me find a parking place in front of the bakery.' Sure enough, on the ninth trip around the block, there it was!"
Temptation is strong, but we must be stronger. We should not tempt fate and we should not rationalize our actions. We need to ask ourselves a fundamental question: Will we stand on the side of the broken and sinful human, the Whiskey Priest, who seeks the glory of God or will we seek the allure of power, wealth, and prestige, cave into temptation and rationalize our actions, like the Federales? God, as Saint Paul reminds us, calls us always to seek the higher realms. Now, our response is awaited.
