The Temptation on the Mountain, Part 1 – Trials and Spiritualities
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III reflects on the temptation of the Lord Christ on the mountain, explaining that temptations do not mean that God has abandoned a person or become angry with him. Christ’s temptation came after a great spiritual period of fasting and solitude, and after the Father’s declaration concerning Him at the Jordan River. Therefore, the presence of temptations in a person’s life does not necessarily mean that there is a sin or a problem; rather, temptation may be part of the spiritual path and a means of blessing and growth.
Spiritual Message
The Pope explains that envy from demons and evil people may be a cause of some of the temptations a person experiences, especially when he is successful in his spiritual life. He gives examples from the Bible, such as Job the righteous, Joseph the righteous, and Adam, and he also refers to the temptations of the Lord Christ Himself. Therefore, a person should not be afraid of temptations, but should trust that God is present with him during them, and that behind the temptation there are grace, blessing, and victory.
Educational Lesson
The teaching emphasizes the importance of seeing the whole truth, rather than seeing the temptation alone and forgetting the victory that comes with it. It also explains the difference between temptation and falling into sin. A thought that the devil places in a person’s mind is not itself a fall; the fall occurs when a person accepts the thought and surrenders to it. Therefore, a person should not become troubled because of strange thoughts or doubts that may attack him, but should reject them and hold firmly to his faith.
Practical Application
The Pope calls us to face temptations with prayer and trust in God, and not to consider tribulation evidence that God has abandoned us. He emphasizes that God does not allow a temptation beyond a person’s ability to endure it, but provides a way out and a blessing along with the temptation. He also teaches that God’s love is not measured by the material things a person receives, but is revealed through giving, sacrifice, and offering oneself for God. Therefore, the believer should remain faithful to Christ even amid hardship, poverty, tribulation, and carrying the cross, knowing that the path to the Kingdom of God is not based on material benefit, but on faith, love, and self-giving.
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