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1st Sunday of Lent (B)
The three synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all include this scene of Jesus going out into the desert to be tempted, with Mark’s version (that we just heard) being theshortest in length and detail. This occurs just before his public ministry begins, and by facing temptation head-on, Jesus shares our humanity and helps us to know how to deal with these all too frequent events in human life. Temptation for us can range anywhere from having one more potato chip to cheating on our spouse.
Theologian and long-time chaplain at Harvard University Peter Gomes wrote The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart, and in it he offers four approaches to dealing with those things that we know are not good but have trouble resisting, based on the example of Jesus in the desert. First (1), we are to name the temptation, identifying clearly what it is we are tempted to do. Then (2), we are to name the tempter—who or what is the force that is making such an illegitimate claim on us? This sometimes entails unmasking the delusions under which we are operating. Gomes says the next step (3) is practicing resistance. In order to do this, we have to ask ourselves questions like “What kind of man or woman do I want to be? What do I want my life to mean? What do I believe in the depth of my heart?” Those answers are the beginning of practicing resistance. Finally (4), he says to call for help. “Relying on one’s own strength and understanding in the matter of temptation, no matter how spiritually alert one is, is a recipe for disaster” Gomes notes, and suggests that we confide in a friend, a colleague, a pastor, or a spiritual director. He also says we have to make time in our lives for prayer, in order to tap the strength that God can offer us.
Notice that “practicing resistance” on our own is not enough, according to Gomes. He goes on to the fourth step of “calling for help.” This is a good example of why our Lenten focus this year is: Practice Does Not Make Perfect. You could also say Practice (Alone) Does Not Make Perfect. Whether it is dealing with temptations or many other things in life, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to struggle or practice on our own. But when we surrender to grace, and allow God to join us in the struggle, we often make progress that did not occur before. Saint after saint throughout the last 2,000 years have testified to this reality.
Speaking of saints, many Christians have a skewed perception about what saints are-- that they were somehow “perfect”. Because of this, many Christians give up striving for sainthood in daily living, knowing that they will never be perfect. In reality, only God is “perfect”—all other human beings, including saints, are imperfect. Saints, however, have been recognized publicly for their ability to give control of their lives to God, and with that inner power, to become fully the person God created them to be—the very-best-version of themselves. And so we call them “whole” or “holy.” For them, practice does not make perfect—instead, practice makes progress. And practice makes progress only if you practice the right things in the right way.
I have not had much experience with being perfect, but I think I have had some experience with making progress. The reason I point this out is that when I am making progress, I am a happier person than when I am obsessing about some idyllic vision of perfection that I am falling short of. Progress animates us—it brings us to life, and creates enduring happiness. So you might ask yourself “Am I making progress in my life?” But that is a question whose answer evades many people. We can become so preoccupied with what we have and what we do, that we lose sight of who we are and who we are becoming.
Are you making progress? Are you a better person today than you were a year ago? Are you happier? More fulfilled? Are you a better spouse? Girlfriend? Boyfriend? Parent? Child? Employee? Employer? Teammate? Colleague? Citizen? Friend? Are you closer to God? It’s important to be clear about what progress actually is. Progress is change for the better. Progress is change that makes something more perfectly itself. Progress requires desire and action. When we welcome Jesus into our lives and our hearts, our priorities are rearranged, and we are challenged to actively seek what God wants in every area of life.
The second reading points out that “Christ… was brought to life in the Spirit.” That is also possible for us when we begin an intimate conversation with God about our talents and abilities, our hopes and dreams, our fears and failures, our potential, and the love that we are capable of. And so it is possible that we take a few moments at the end of each day and ask: “Am I better today than I was yesterday?” This is not to measure perfection, but to gauge progress. The answer to this question raises more questions: “What areas of my life need to improve? What behaviors are preventing me from making progress toward the very-best-version of myself at this time? You see, who we are today is only a shadow of who we are capable of being.
Think about a tree. A tree does not try to make all of its branches straight. It is perfect in its imperfection… you might say it is “perfectly imperfect”. And yet it does change and grow over time. We can each approach this place of balance between accepting ourselves for who we are, and challenging ourselves to be all we are capable of being. That is the journey of Lent, and the saints have led the way for us. May we join all of the saints on that path.