I love this insight into the temptations. It seems to me that when we give in to them, trying to have aspects of God, we move away from the essence of the loving God. Embracing our weaknesses makes us turn to others - listening because we don't know, understanding hunger from the inside, cooperating rather than commanding, relying less on our imperfect protections and preparations. Living these things makes us into the community of the faithful...the Body of Christ.
Jesus, thank you for going ahead of me into the wilderness of what it means to be human. And for being with me now in my wilderness, the wilderness of unemployment... where I’m plagued and tempted by not knowing, by hunger and thirst, by powerlessness and lack of control, by insecurity and fear. All of these human experiences prowl around me like wolves. I can assuage their attack by giving in and feeding them, but then they will only stay around longer and grow stronger. I can’t really run from them or escape them. What does it mean to “embrace” these animals, these human experiences? I guess it means to lean in and allow myself to feel their pain and not anastethize myself. I guess, ironically, that to embrace these human experiences means that I need to call on a Savior to rescue me, to protect me, to be with me as I experience them. A savior who reminds me (by SHOWING me) that faith, hope and love are stronger than hunger, powerlessness, fear, insecurity, confusion. To fully embrace my own humanity as a disciple means that I must fully rely on you, Lord. Help me to see that with you, and you alone, will I be satisfied, and it will be enough. Amen.
Again I thank you for numerically listing the 4 temptations. I journal so listing your points is a great help to me as I ponder and pray. I am a visual learner. I pray I become a better listener learner. Until then, thank you again for your illustrations. When you tell a story to illustrate your point I easily get that. Now I am more easily able to identify the roots of my sins and this takes me back to the first week. My journey is not a straight path. Blessings, Father Mark, on all you do.
OH, I just read that poetic reflection response in Day 11. of Jesus as a young boy. --Going through my son's adolescence , who was so mischievous and a bit difficult, I had a hard time imagining Jesus at that age. I could not go there except in static images. I loved that imagery that was written. It was beautiful.My son, by the way is now a wonderful young man thank God. Thank you Father Mark. I am so grateful to be following you in this retreat.
From Luke 4:1-14: Up out of the Jordan, filled with the Spirit you are led by the Spirit into the wilderness (not by the devil, as some may think they remember) a battle of wills and choices of rejecting temptations to become God embracing instead your humanity and need for God. He nips at your heels like a yapping dog the temptation of hunger that devouring urge for what we really don’t need or live by stones into bread. You reject it all and embrace what is more and necessary: In your hunger, God alone. He clasps you in his talons like a circling hawk rises slowly to a different point of view the temptation of power and glory of having it all and easy in return for a brief moment of false worship. You reject it all and embrace what is more and necessary: In your powerlessness, God alone. He sets you on himself like a beast of burden carries you to the temple the temptation of security asking for a circus trick - fly without a net prove yourself and God. You reject it all and embrace what is more and necessary: In your fear, God alone. Defeated, he departs. Victorious, you get to work. Shown the way, we take courage. In our hunger, powerlessness, fear God alone.
I am a high school choir director, and last night the American Choral Directors Association hosted a webinar in which a group of experts said that it will not be safe to hold choir rehearsal or performances perhaps for another year or more. I have felt powerless all day, so this is a timely meditation.
Day 12 Fr has been difficult to grasp in the spiritual sense in all its totality. It needs not just a video class per se but a deeper reflection. To think what he thought and the teachings to man thru his replies .....
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert. -Matthew 4:1 The sky ripped open, the Holy Spirit took the form of a dove and rested upon Jesus, God thundered his unfailing love from the heavens, and then he ushered his beloved Son into . . . the desert? What? “I love you, Son. Enjoy . . . the desert”? Generally speaking, this series of events makes us a little uncomfortable. Can following God’s Spirit lead us straight into a desert? Would obedience deposit us in a wasteland? Could God’s loving will direct us to wander about in barren places? Evidently. From Jesus’ example, this appears to be true. We just do not talk about it often. Our earthbound hearts prefer to consider how following God leads us into happiness or health or wealth. “God led me into a desert! (hallelujah)” is just not the stuff T-shirts are made of. Even so, did not Jesus’ three decades of hiddenness already qualify as a desert experience? Yes. But in that desert of anonymity Jesus made peace with God’s timing and concluded that Father God’s companionship in his life was enough. From Jesus’ perspective, his hidden years were good years: neither wasted nor unwanted. Therefore, we find no evidence of resistance when the Holy Spirit directs Jesus into another type of desert. Matthew simply states that Jesus was “led” there.” ― Alicia Britt Chole, Anonymous: Jesus' hidden years...and yours To be hungry and not grasping...yes.
laura roeven I was reflecting on the picture that Fr. Mark used-the desert, in its endlessness is a place where you can see, it seems, into the distance forever. Perfect place for God to speak, yes?
Perhaps like Adam we are tempted by the desire to be Divine p r e m a t u r e l y . Some people love the Disney cartoon _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_ because we see something of ourselves in the apprentice (played by Mickey, a little mouse) who seeks _before he is ready_ to use the power of a master. (And so we are reminded of Day 8 & the inner tubes of tractor tyres on Galveston beach!)
I love this insight into the temptations. It seems to me that when we give in to them, trying to have aspects of God, we move away from the essence of the loving God. Embracing our weaknesses makes us turn to others - listening because we don't know, understanding hunger from the inside, cooperating rather than commanding, relying less on our imperfect protections and preparations. Living these things makes us into the community of the faithful...the Body of Christ.
Jesus, thank you for going ahead of me into the wilderness of what it means to be human. And for being with me now in my wilderness, the wilderness of unemployment... where I’m plagued and tempted by not knowing, by hunger and thirst, by powerlessness and lack of control, by insecurity and fear. All of these human experiences prowl around me like wolves. I can assuage their attack by giving in and feeding them, but then they will only stay around longer and grow stronger. I can’t really run from them or escape them. What does it mean to “embrace” these animals, these human experiences? I guess it means to lean in and allow myself to feel their pain and not anastethize myself. I guess, ironically, that to embrace these human experiences means that I need to call on a Savior to rescue me, to protect me, to be with me as I experience them. A savior who reminds me (by SHOWING me) that faith, hope and love are stronger than hunger, powerlessness, fear, insecurity, confusion. To fully embrace my own humanity as a disciple means that I must fully rely on you, Lord. Help me to see that with you, and you alone, will I be satisfied, and it will be enough. Amen.
Again I thank you for numerically listing the 4 temptations. I journal so listing your points is a great help to me as I ponder and pray. I am a visual learner. I pray I become a better listener learner. Until then, thank you again for your illustrations. When you tell a story to illustrate your point I easily get that. Now I am more easily able to identify the roots of my sins and this takes me back to the first week. My journey is not a straight path. Blessings, Father Mark, on all you do.
OH, I just read that poetic reflection response in Day 11. of Jesus as a young boy. --Going through my son's adolescence , who was so mischievous and a bit difficult, I had a hard time imagining Jesus at that age. I could not go there except in static images. I loved that imagery that was written. It was beautiful.My son, by the way is now a wonderful young man thank God. Thank you Father Mark. I am so grateful to be following you in this retreat.
This has been a tremendously good retreat for me. Thank you, Father Thibodeaux. I want to follow Jesus even more.
It's comforting to know that Jesus understands our human weakness and insecurity!
From Luke 4:1-14:
Up out of the Jordan, filled with the Spirit
you are led by the Spirit into the wilderness
(not by the devil, as some may think they remember)
a battle of wills and choices
of rejecting temptations to become God
embracing instead your humanity and need for God.
He nips at your heels like a yapping dog
the temptation of hunger
that devouring urge for what we really don’t need or live by
stones into bread.
You reject it all and embrace what is more and necessary:
In your hunger, God alone.
He clasps you in his talons like a circling hawk
rises slowly to a different point of view
the temptation of power and glory
of having it all and easy
in return for a brief moment of false worship.
You reject it all and embrace what is more and necessary:
In your powerlessness, God alone.
He sets you on himself like a beast of burden
carries you to the temple
the temptation of security
asking for a circus trick - fly without a net
prove yourself and God.
You reject it all and embrace what is more and necessary:
In your fear, God alone.
Defeated, he departs.
Victorious, you get to work.
Shown the way, we take courage.
In our hunger, powerlessness, fear
God alone.
Steve Givens
Your responses are profound. I feel as if I within two simultaneous retreats. Thank you.
@@pambutler1234 Thank you, Pam.
I so agree....
For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, now and forever, Amen
I am a high school choir director, and last night the American Choral Directors Association hosted a webinar in which a group of experts said that it will not be safe to hold choir rehearsal or performances perhaps for another year or more. I have felt powerless all day, so this is a timely meditation.
So sorry!
Yours in social solidarity with physical distance! (Queensland Kodaly Choir, Brisbane Combined Unions Choir)
So sorry for you. Seems so many things I am learning I have no control over.
Thank you Fr Mark- This is Retreat 2 Day 12 for me.
Day 12 Fr has been difficult to grasp in the spiritual sense in all its totality. It needs not just a video class per se but a deeper reflection. To think what he thought and the teachings to man thru his replies .....
First, try to pray with the text. Then, it is helpful to explore for more understanding.
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert. -Matthew 4:1 The sky ripped open, the Holy Spirit took the form of a dove and rested upon Jesus, God thundered his unfailing love from the heavens, and then he ushered his beloved Son into . . . the desert? What? “I love you, Son. Enjoy . . . the desert”? Generally speaking, this series of events makes us a little uncomfortable. Can following God’s Spirit lead us straight into a desert? Would obedience deposit us in a wasteland? Could God’s loving will direct us to wander about in barren places? Evidently. From Jesus’ example, this appears to be true. We just do not talk about it often. Our earthbound hearts prefer to consider how following God leads us into happiness or health or wealth. “God led me into a desert! (hallelujah)” is just not the stuff T-shirts are made of. Even so, did not Jesus’ three decades of hiddenness already qualify as a desert experience? Yes. But in that desert of anonymity Jesus made peace with God’s timing and concluded that Father God’s companionship in his life was enough. From Jesus’ perspective, his hidden years were good years: neither wasted nor unwanted. Therefore, we find no evidence of resistance when the Holy Spirit directs Jesus into another type of desert. Matthew simply states that Jesus was “led” there.”
― Alicia Britt Chole, Anonymous: Jesus' hidden years...and yours
To be hungry and not grasping...yes.
laura roeven I was reflecting on the picture that Fr. Mark used-the desert, in its endlessness is a place where you can see, it seems, into the distance forever. Perfect place for God to speak, yes?
12 march 21, R10 D12.Thank you.
12 October 20 R5 D12.Thank you.
12 August 20,R3 D12.Thank you.
12 Jan 21. R8 D12. Thank you
12 Feb 21,R9D12.Thank you
12 Dec 20 R7 D8 Thanks
Perhaps like Adam we are tempted by the desire to be Divine p r e m a t u r e l y . Some people love the Disney cartoon _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_ because we see something of ourselves in the apprentice (played by Mickey, a little mouse) who seeks _before he is ready_ to use the power of a master. (And so we are reminded of Day 8 & the inner tubes of tractor tyres on Galveston beach!)
12 Nov 20 R6 D 12.Thanks