Don’t Go Looking for Trouble
One of my favorite hymns is “On Eagle’s Wings,” by Michael Joncas. This hymn is based on Psalm 91, which we sing as part of the liturgy on the First Sunday of Lent. The psalmist speaks of all the benefits of trusting in God. A key promise is, “No evil shall befall you … for to his angels he has given a command … that they guard you in all your ways.” The Lord promises to support those who cling to him in trust when in the midst of distress. The Lord will deliver and glorify the one who trusts.
This theme of trust in the word of the Lord in times of trouble is present in the first reading as well. This is from the book of Deuteronomy (26:4-10). This book begins with a short history of God’s dealings with the Israelites and care for them from the time they left Egypt up to about a month before they entered the Promised land. A series of teachings about the Covenant with God follows. Then comes a section about the Law and how the people are to live. This is the section from which we hear today. The book ends with the final words of Moses before his death just outside the new land to which they had at last arrived.
Moses reminds the people of God’s care and their responsibilities in obeying the Law. Today he speaks of their responsibility to give thanks with a sacrifice of the first fruits of the harvest each year. They are to speak of their history, beginning before their time in Egypt, through the Exodus, and the blessings of this new land in which they now live – “flowing with milk and honey.” Their gifts are to be presented to the Lord and they are to “bow down in his presence.” They have arrived and at last enjoy the blessings of the Lord’s care for them in this land.
Many years later, St. Paul wrote a letter to Christians in Rome. He spoke to the Roman Christians of the role of the Jewish people in salvation history. At one point he reflects on the fact that even though Gentiles have never known and obeyed the Law, they can be saved by believing that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead. He quotes the book of Deuteronomy in which it is written that the commands of the Lord are not far away or impossible to reach. They are “very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.” (Dt 30:14) In this same way, those not bound by the Law are saved by the word that is very near. Believing in the heart and confessing that belief verbally leads to salvation. Everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved.
Given the history of God’s intervention in human history to care for his people and rescue them in times of trial, the experience of Jesus in the desert is not too surprising. St. Luke tells us that Jesus went into the desert when he left the Jordan after his baptismal experience of the presence and love of the Father. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and so went to pray. (When the Spirit comes upon a person, it’s an amazing experience, but it takes time to process what has happened.) For forty days, Jesus prayed and fasted.
Forty days is a period long enough for new habits and skills to be learned. In Judeo-Christian history, it’s a reminder of the 40 years spent by the Israelites in the desert between the Exodus from Egypt and their entrance into the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. It’s also a very long time for humans to go without food, or with very little food. At the end of his forty days fast, Jesus was probably tired and was definitely hungry.
In this weakened state, he had a visitor. The Greek term that we translate as devil means a false accuser or slanderer. This visitor tried to convince Jesus to do something out of the ordinary to appease his hunger – to use his new-found relationship with the Father for his own benefit. Prove that you’re the Son of God. Just turn a few stones into loaves of bread and you won’t have to be hungry anymore. You’re special. God’s own son. Take advantage of it! But Jesus would have none of that. He quoted Scripture to remind the visitor that “One does not live by bread alone.”
Well then. That didn’t work. Time to try something else. Up to a mountain top. See all the kingdoms of the world. “I shall give to you all this power and glory.” It’s mine. I can give it away. Just worship me and you can have it – power and glory. But Jesus turns that down too. He quotes the Law: “You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.”
OK, so this guy wants to quote Scripture all the time. One more thing to try, thinks the visitor. Here’s the great temple of Jerusalem. Way up on the very topmost peak. Now throw yourself down from here. After all, Scripture says, “He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you … With their hands they will support you…” The visitor quotes Psalm 91.
Jesus rejects all these temptations – to use his power and position to meet his own needs, to gain earthly power, or to force God’s hand and provoke a miraculous intervention to save his life. Talk about fame if that happened! But Jesus rejects them all. “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” (Dt 6:16) Once again we return to the Law as presented in the book of Deuteronomy.
What is the lesson for us? I think it could be summed up with the simple admonition, “Don’t go looking for trouble.” It’s easy to think we have all the answers or that we are special because of our education, our social status, our job, our family, our good looks, or whatever. Sometimes we are also tempted to take advantage of these characteristics with which we may have been gifted. Or we are tempted to think that a spiritual experience makes us better judges of what another person should do. We might also think that God will get us out of any trouble we get into, so what’s to lose?
There are many ways the visitor who tempted Jesus can whisper lies to us as well. Even Jesus had to deal with this visitor. Jesus saw through the visitor’s offers and lies. He relied on his faith and its traditions to guide his thinking about how he was to proceed and what his ministry would be.
As we journey through the season of Lent, we too are called to trust in the Lord. This is a good time to turn to scripture – read a Gospel or the Acts of the Apostles. Study the documents of the Council. Read one of Pope Francis’ books. He’s written some fantastic ones. They’re short and filled with wisdom.
And then, take time for prayer. It doesn’t need to be filled with a lot of words. Take a walk with Jesus. Open your eyes to the beauty of the place in which you live. See the flowers. Listen to the birds. Smell the earth or the water. Notice the gifts of God in your life. See the beauty of the people you meet along the way. Smile.
Troubles will come soon enough. They come to everyone. When they come, God will be there with us. Angels will be there to support us, sent by God. We may not see them, but they will be present, offering strength on which we can draw if we remember to seek and hope for it. Sometimes, we even meet their helpers along the way – our sisters and brothers in faith who reach out to accompany us on our journey.
Don’t go looking for trouble! Just keep your eyes open for God’s presence supporting you when trouble comes around.
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