The Trial on the Mountain
Main Idea
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III reflects on Christ’s first temptation on the mountain, when Satan tempted Him after forty days of fasting by saying, “If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” He explains that Christ triumphed because His concern was spiritual nourishment rather than physical food.
Spiritual Message
Pope Shenouda teaches that fasting is not merely abstaining from food, but a means of humility and realizing one’s need for God. He emphasizes that Satan always seeks to draw people toward material things, outward appearances, and power, whereas Christ calls believers to a spiritual life rooted in abiding in God, because “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
Educational Lesson
The Pope compares Adam’s fall, when he was defeated by food while living in Paradise, with Christ’s victory while hungry after a long fast. He explains that being a child of God does not mean enjoying material blessings or performing miracles, but living in communion with God, obeying Him, and willingly enduring hardship for the Kingdom. He also stresses that the fruits of the Spirit are more important than the gifts of the Spirit, because salvation is connected with spiritual life rather than displays of power or miracles.
Practical Application
The Pope encourages believers to seek spiritual nourishment first through prayer, reading the Word of God, meditation, and participation in the Church’s sacramental life, because a soul filled with God is not enslaved by bodily desires. He also urges servants of God to base their ministry on proclaiming the Word of God before focusing on material needs, so that people are led to the Kingdom rather than merely receiving temporary benefits. He concludes by affirming that the person who is spiritually nourished finds true satisfaction in God, causing the attractions and desires of the world to lose their hold.
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