Lenten Meditation: February 22, 2026
Matthew 4:1-11
Then the devil left him. (Matthew 4:11)
A paradox in the Christian life is captured in this story. The ways of this world are limited at best and usually deeply flawed, and the ways of God, that we are to pursue, are not ultimately manifest in this world. Yet, we are to pursue the ways of God. Even more puzzling, things that seem to be the tools to build up the reign of God, are potentially Satan in disguise. Notice that Jesus isn’t offered the opportunity to kill Herod or steal from the treasury. He is offered influence, food for the hungry, and recognition.
It is one of the great spiritual truths, that evil and temptation are not simply those horrible things we see people do from a distance or through the lens of history, but evil is, as Muslims are taught, like the blood that runs in your veins, closely tied to what is essential for life.
Our tradition teaches us that from the very beginning we seek our own solutions, putting aside the offer of God for a life of companionship with God in the cool of the evening. The humility or maybe the innocence required to receive a life of love freely offered from a God who has made us in delight seems like a fantasy in a world in which it costs a lot of money to live with some dignity, and everyone doesn’t have access to enough. Maybe it is even more difficult to imagine this God of love if your childhood was not safe or your personal dignity has been contested.
In today’s reading, we hear that even Jesus considers that he is alone in his mission, or at least that it is presented to him that way by Satan. Like Jesus, may we be cautious with expediency and open to God’s ways, knowing they are more than this world will bear and the true desire of our hearts.