Deuteronomy 8:2
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”

Luke 4:1-2a
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.”

Hebrews 4:14-15
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who in unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”

Jehovah God, you have chosen us and you long for us to choose you.

You lead us into the lonely wilderness so that by our hunger we learn of your provision, in our wandering we learn of your purpose, and in our laments we learn the strength of your word.

When we are tempted to make an idol of our self-sufficiency or believe we are entitled to grumble, correct us with a vision of the Tempter’s will for us to be swallowed in the sands of self-pity.  Turn our eyes then upon the One who walks the path with us in unremitting humility.

This we ask in the sinless name of Jesus, who experienced a generation of human trials, remaining faultless in each test so that in faith we can claim his perfection.

Listen to ‘A Higher, Deeper Praise’ by Ordinary Time