From The Resistance Prays:
SCRIPTURE:Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan river and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”
Then the devil led him up and showed Jesus in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”
Jesus answered him, “It is written:‘ Worship the Lord your God, and serve only God.’”
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘God will command God’s angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
When the devil had finished every test, the devil departed from Jesus until an opportune time.
-Luke 4:1-13, NRSV (edited for Gender neutrality) |
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In the gospel of Luke, Jesus denied the temptation of the devil three times: first he neglects food, second he neglects worldly authority, then he neglects power. When evil was tempting Jesus in the wilderness where did he find solace? Enduring 40 days and 40 nights in heat and isolation must have exhausted Jesus. His fleshy humanity must have felt a lot like our modern day bodies as we attempt to rise each day in the chaos of imbedding war, continued pandemic, and the burning of our earth.
I imagine that Jesus had more unnamed resources that fueled the reserve in his tank than what was written about in the gospels. Although the desert outside of the river Jordan was vast and full of drought, there is actually much about the desert that is alive.
In the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains of Californias, Saguaro Cacti can grow up to 40 feet tall. Saguaros grow multiple arms in order to increase their capacity to store water and expand their reproductive capacity. In the spring and summer, the cactus flowers and bears fruit in beautiful hues of yellow and red. The lifespan of a Saguaro can exceed 150 years meaning they have seen their fair share of chaotic temptation.
While Jesus was in the desert, the sturdiness of the Saguaro was with him. Although the ecosystem of the Jordan valley differs from the American Southwest, there must have been olive branches growing in the hot sun and birds flying above his loneliness.
Margaret Renkl’s New York Time piece names the difficulty of this particular Lenten season. The world is burning. How can we seek joy? The invitation of Lent and the wisdom of the Saguaro teaches us to expand in times of emptiness. With the help of God, we can hold the paradox. We can admire the early blooms of the crocus and grieve for the pain beneath the soil.
Let us remember, in times of chaos, the dust of the earth is still there, breathing and expanding, allowing us to hold joy.
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