During Lent, open yourself up to the possibility of an encounter with Jesus

Last Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas, many of us probably sang or heard sung, some variation of a verse from Prophet Isaiah about John the Baptist, the voice crying in the desert to straighten highways and level mountains for the coming of God. Here we are, two months later, and, in the time-bending rhythms of the liturgical season, the God for whom we prepared — Jesus — is about to begin his public ministry. We meet him in the desert. Matthew’s gospel (4:1-11) says Jesus was in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. But what was he doing there? And what are faithful Christians to do there as we follow Jesus into our own 40-day Lenten journey in preparation for the celebration of Easter resurrection?

Matthew is clear about what Jesus was doing. He says Jesus was led to the desert (eremos) by the Spirit (pneuma) for the purpose of being tempted (peirazo) by a devil (diabolos). For Jesus — and by extension for Jesus’ followers — the desert can be a physical place, but perhaps more to the point, it signifies a disposition toward deepening awareness in preparation for an ultimate purpose. In religious life, we call this purpose mission, and Lent becomes a time to identify, clarify, and live into that mission. In some indigenous communities, the process might be called a vision quest.

While in the desert Jesus has three encounters with diabolos. In Greek grammar diabolos is not a noun. It is not the name of a person, place, or thing — but an adjective — a descriptor, grammatically useful as a moderator of persons, places, or things. It is used, says Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, of “a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him.”

Diabolos attempts to “modify” Jesus with three temptations. The first two involve a direct appeal to Jesus’ identity. “If you are the Son of God…” diabolos begins, first attempting to sway Jesus to assuage his own hunger, then to convince him he is powerful enough to assure his own salvation. While both would be possible for Jesus, of course, he refuses to access the power associated with his status as God’s son.

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The third temptation is different. Diabolos changes tactics, recognizing, perhaps, that this Son of God “does not deem equality with God something to be grasped.” (Philippians 2) Unsuccessful in convincing Jesus to feed his own hunger or gain his own advantage, diabolos tries to co-opt Jesus into a power-sharing agreement:

“Then diabolos took him up to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world,” the text reads. “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.”

Now, for the first time, Jesus gives the tyrant something to modify: Satanas! He shouts — you accuser! Go away. “For it is written, ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.’” (Deuteronomy 6:13)

Finally, confounded — his purpose revealed and openly named by Jesus — “diabolos left him.”

If the Son of God allows himself to be interrogated in the desert, undergoing clarifying challenges to his mission, might we not do the same? So, how will you approach the Lenten desert this year?

Why not follow Jesus into the desert? Find some solitude — even a few minutes a day. Unplug during your commute; give up singing in the shower — or making to-do lists, or whatever distracts you in the shower — and quiet your racing brain. Notice the water and the soap and the silence. Postpone that next tempting episode of your current binge; open yourself to the possibility of an encounter with Jesus. Then watch what happens.

Sister Beth Murphy, OP, is the communications director for the Dominican Sisters of Springfield.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: During Lent, identify, clarify your ultimate purpose