Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:01 Today, we'll take a quick look at the gospel. It's taken from a fourth chapter of the gospel of Saint Matthew. We rely almost entirely upon the great commentary of cornice Alap today in today's gospel, we can clearly see Christ our Lord, the new Adam doing well. The very things in which Adam fell. Adam hates the temptations of the devil and ignores the commandments of God. And he falls well, Christ heeds the commandments of God. It ignores the temptation of the devil and he triumphs to put all this in context, today's gospel. Let's start by taking a closer look at the fall of our first parents or read from Genesis three quote. Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth, which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, wife, God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of paradise.
Speaker 0 00:01:03 And the woman answered him saying of the fruit of the trees that are in paradise. We do eat, but of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of paradise. God has commanded us that we should not eat and that we should not touch it less. Perhaps we die. And the serpent said to the woman, no, you shall not die. The death for God death. No, that at what day whatsoever, you shall eat thereof. Your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods knowing good navel. And the woman saw the tree was good to eat and fair to the eyes and delightful to behold. And she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave to her husband who did he so close, quote, inspired and errant word of God. Let's first note that the serpent told five lies. Cornelius elapid they list them for us. Quote, first, you shall not die. Second. Your eyes shall be opened. Third. You shall be as gods fourth, you shall know good navel and fifth, the devil implies, God knows all these things that I'm telling you to be true. And that I am not lying since God knows all these things. And he loves you. It's not likely wishes to deprive you of the fruit of this tree, which has so high, a degree of usefulness.
Speaker 0 00:02:31 Okay? As we all know, in response to these temptations in lies, the devil Eve sinned, it's a matter of fact, she committed five sins setting Saint Ambrose, Saint Ignatius of Antioch st. John Chris system and Santa Gustin. <inaudible> States that quote in the first place Eve filed later by Adam committed the sin of pride. Undoubtedly, when even Adam heard you should be as gods knowing good and evil, they were tempted to gaze and admiration at their own excellence. And therefore, as they turn towards themselves, they swelled up with pride. So their hearts drew back from God. And finally, as was the case with Lucifer, they desired omniscience and a certain kind of equality with God close quote, I continue to speak of Eve sins, Cornelius ELAP today notes quote from this sin of pride, there immediately followed impatience and indignation of soul at being restricted by this precept and from being prohibited to access to so noble a fruit, then the sin of curiosity, not understand what the sin of curiosity is.
Speaker 0 00:03:45 There's a virtue called studiousness. Now studiousness is a virtue which moderates in us, the desire and the pursuit of truth, and it moderates it in accordance with right reason. Now studiousness there are two vices opposed to it. One is advice of curiosity. Curiosity is an excessive desire for knowledge, and you see this people wanting to know lots of things. It's really none of their business. How many different sins are provoked by curiosity. The other vice opposed to studiousness is negligence. Now that's a voluntary emission of knowledge. That's essential for one state and condition in life. This is really a common sin curiosity on the one hand, I mean the media plays off that all the time with people budding into things that they had, they have no reason to know about, but in terms of negligence, how many Catholics just basically stop learning atheists about their faith?
Speaker 0 00:04:40 About the time they've made their first communion or maybe confirmation. And that is it. I get these interesting discussions. I'm sure many of you have to before we have people with like galactic educations, they they've got degrees coming out their ears and they start telling you something like what is the church teaches? And the launch on. It's funny. I have to say, I'll take both sides of the argument for you. So you know what you're supposed to be saying, because obviously you don't have a clue it's it's so why they haven't kept their understanding, the faith commensurate with their state in life for our whole life, we have to keep working at having a deeper appreciation. These are the Holy things. These are the most important things. These are the things that last everything else is of no lasting concern. And that's not making fun of an education.
Speaker 0 00:05:30 We just had to keep it in the right perspective. We always have to be growing in our knowledge of the faith and we keep it commensurate with our state of life. That's why spiritual right reading is so important to keep, educate ourselves, to keep going forward, to keep making sure that we have a good understanding of what our faith teaches us. So anyway, sin of curiosity, so she commits us in a pride, then a set of curiosity followed immediately by the sin of gluttony and it lasts and error and understanding for both Eve as well as Adam believed the words of the serpent promising omniscience and immortality. If they ate from the forbidden tree and this let it last to perfect disobedience and the transgression of the command close. Cool. All right. So although Eve committed five sins, corniness dilapidated falling parries States that Adam committed eight sins quote first was pride.
Speaker 0 00:06:39 Second was the excessive desire to please his wife. Now a husband should want to please his wife, but not at the cost of sin. Of course, third was the sin of curiosity. Fourth was a sin of unbelief as if God had only figuratively spoken of death rather than absolutely threatening violators of his commandment. With that punishment. Fifth was the sin of presumption. As if the violation of this law would only be a slight venial sin. Sixth was a sin of gluttony. Seventh was a sin of disobedience. An eighth was a sin of making excuses, close quote. Then he poses the question. If you ask who sin more grievously, Adam or Eve Saint Thomas responds that if the sin is considered in itself, Eve sinned more grievously, both because she sin first. And also because she induced Adam to sin and therefore she ruined not only yourself and him, but through him, all of us, but if the circumstances of the person are considered, Adam said more grievously, both because he was more perfect and more prudent than Eve.
Speaker 0 00:07:53 And also because Adam had received the commandment directly from God, whereas Eve had received it only through Adam close quote, of course, we all fell an Adam Kainoa, all that as background let's turn back to today's gospel. When did the temptation in the desert take place? <inaudible> quote, it seems that Christ on the same sixth day of January on which he was baptized was led by the spirit, into the wilderness. And at the close of the same day, he began his 40 days fast, which he would finish on the 15th of February. Therefore this temptation of Christ took place on February 16th of the year of our Lord 31 verse one, Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. This is not signify that the Holy ghost directly intended that the devil's temptation should sail a Christ, but only to remit the temptation for the sake of Christ, profit and victory.
Speaker 0 00:08:57 In the first place st. John Chris system and Saint hoodie, or Hillary of <inaudible> teach to the Holy spirit intended by this, that Christ who is tempted immediately after his baptism might give a model of life to Christians who are baptized and converted to God by which they should learn to resist the temptations of saving them and afford to fight themselves against them. Secondly, Christ by his example would demonstrate that every temptation can be overcome by the grace, which he pours down by prayer and fasting by the words of sacred scripture, by meditation, upon the precepts and promises of God by constant STI fortitude and confidence in God, in the third place that with his temptation, his example, he might teach us to fight with and overcome the same enemy Satan. And that Christ might merit for us. The grace and fortitude needed to do this for, although the faithful conscious of their own weakness ought to avoid temptations as far as they can.
Speaker 0 00:10:08 Yet, when temptations do come, we must rely upon Christ generously and violently resist them. Since Christ has said, have confidence. I have overcome the world as Saint Ambrose says, when you're tempted recognize the crown is being prepared for you, take away the contest of the martyrs and you take away their crowns take where their torments you take, whether it be attitudes, Jesus was tempted by the devil, namely Lucifer for here. The Prince of all the demons is called the devil Lucifer. Therefore at this time came forth from hell and taking the form of a man tempted Christ. Firstly, that you might investigate whether you were God's very own son by nature. And secondly that he might test him, that is enticed him to sin, therefore, as Lucifer through Eve, tempted Adam in overcame him. So he tempted Christ, but was overcome by him as Lucifer through Eve tempted, Adam and overcame.
Speaker 0 00:11:15 So he attempted Christ. What was overcome by him. Verse two, when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights afterward, he was hungry. No, that Christ after the example of Moses and Elias facet, 40 whole days and nights without taking any food or drink, whatever he fasted not by natural, by supernatural strength. As the fathers teach, you asked for what reasons Christ fasted. I answered it by weakening in his flesh, by fasting. He might make satisfaction for Adams eating the forbidden fruit and for all the gluttony and elicit of Adam's posterity. And according to Saint Ignatius of Antioch and other fathers, the more particular reason was it Christ might inaugurate the Lenten fast, observed by Christians by apostolic tradition that he might sanctify and consecrate this fast. By his example, the reason was that by this fast, we might give a tie the, of all the days in the year to God, as Saint Gregory, the great teachers, Saint Gregory, the great thus in the course of 365 days, we deny ourselves during lent and so to speak, give a time on our year to God that we who have lived for ourselves might mortify ourselves for our maker by abstinence, in his tent of it.
Speaker 0 00:12:39 Hence cheers brethren as you're commanded by the lot off the tie of your substance. So also offered to God the tide of your days, close quote st. Greg. They're great. So we want to have a good land and look at it as a tie of mortification to make up for the rest of the year in that way.
Speaker 0 00:12:58 First three, and the temperature coming said to him, if that will be the son of God command, these stones be made bread. The devil took on the form of a human body that he might tempt the Lord. By speaking in audible voice, as st. John damage seen teaches this temptation of Christ like that of Adam by Eve in their state of innocence was effected purely by the external suggestion of voice loan and not by internal moments that can Cuba since rising up against reason in the spirit. Now, remember Cuba's and says, it's a fruit of the original sin. It's one of the results of the original sin because before the original sin, the state original justice everything's ordered. So the passion's completely obey, right? Reason, for example, for the original sin, Adam could look over at his wife, speaking with a serpent, said, you know this cause for anger.
Speaker 0 00:13:47 So you could have got exactly angry as was, was proportionate, reasonable for the situation for exactly as long as was reasonable. And then he could have been completely calm just like that. He had that kind of power. We can wake up angry. We can get, we can get totally disproportionately angry over something that doesn't really matter. And then I have a very hard time calming down. That's one of the things that can Coupa sense or the advertising industry, except in technical journals, some tangled journals, what's that rooted in K percents because it's just scientifically designed temptations. I mean, you have the half clothed girl laying across the car. Why is that? The implication I buy the car, I get the girl, all these kinds of things. What does it have to do with the car or serial advertisements? How those are, how many of those are rooted in reason?
Speaker 0 00:14:32 It doesn't say well, after a year, you can expect this many cavities and your children when after the Edith w ricocheted off the walls, it doesn't say that it has all this happy clappy music and salt, surrounded by things in order to work on concupiscence. So concupiscence is disordered movement to the passions, not subject right reason. So Adam is in the state of original justice and Christ was much more so, and in this state, all the motions of the soul and imagination were subject right reason, so much so that in Christ, no unlawful thought, no motion to concupiscence could possibly be stirred up by the devil such as is stirred up in us since Adam's sin for by Adam's sin. Except of course, for our lady, we've lost original justice or our trouble by concupiscence note here, the craft of the devil, how he attempts each one by the thing for which he has an inclination or in which he is weak as Saint Gregory, great points out just as hunters, since snares for various wild birds and beasts baiting them with various sorts of food.
Speaker 0 00:15:35 So as to capture a particular kind of animal, a bird, so to the devil offers foods and delicacies to those prone to gluttony or to the hungry, as you offer some here to Christ, what are those who are full? He offers sleep, ease and slow to the proud he offers honors to the angry lawsuits and strives to the averages. Usury fraud, unjust contracts. To the curious, he offers sorcery incantation superstitions in the, like if the I'll be the son of God, the devil had heard the father's voice at the baptism of Christ. This is my beloved son. And he also heard st. John the Baptist testimony that Christ was the son of God. He also saw in some respect, Christ appeared to be a simple, poor, weak, ordinary mortal. And therefore, since the devil was uncertain as to whether Christ was the son of God by nature, the very word of the father are only a very eminent set of God by adoption.
Speaker 0 00:16:37 He temps Christ and asked him to turn stones into bread with which to relieve his hunger. So that by the performance of this miracle or inability to perform it, he might determine which the two, he was the son of God by nature, or an eminent son of God, by adoption. If Christ had done this miracle, the devil would have believed that he was the word incentive. God is a probable opinion of many theologians that the sin and pride of Lucifer in heaven, where that when he'd got revealed to him, that the son of God would take on a human nature and asked him to submit himself to Christ. As man, he became envious of Christ that a man should be preferred to himself was the most noble anger of this honor. He himself was ambitious. And so he rebelled against Christ in God. When therefore he saw this man called the synagogue by st.
Speaker 0 00:17:26 John the Baptist and the father, he wished to find out if he really word God's son said he might pour out upon him. His previous envy fury indignation verse four, who answered and said it is written not in bread, alone, death man live, but in every word that proceeds from the mouth of God Christ here, quotes Deuteronomy eight three, that in context is speaking of the manna from heaven. So he's quoting it in a sense that just as God fed the Jews in the desert for 40 years without bread, by sending them manna from heaven, just as God fed Moses Elias and Christ for 40 days by his word by his power. So also in whatsoever thing, God shall command man shall live, be nourished and sustained.
Speaker 0 00:18:13 First five. Then the devil took him up into the Holy city, Jerusalem, the devil having been conquered by Christ in the first temptation to gluttony immediately subjection of his second temptation Vainglory, clearly st. Jerome Saint John Kristen at st. Hilary Portier. This is a natural sequence of temptation to pass from gluttony to Vainglory for when the devil sees a pious person despise gluttony and the pleasures and allurements of the flesh, he raised up against in the spirits of temptation of vanity and presumption for carnal. Men are prone to gluttony, but eminent and spiritual men are prone to pride. That's an important thing to remember, men are prone to gluttony, eminent and spiritual men are prone to pride, which of those is worse pride. The sins of the flesh are sins, but they're not as bad as sins like envy and pride, which are more angelic.
Speaker 0 00:19:12 It be a great temptation for someone who's worried, worried about their holiness in an environment like ours, to look out there and give, thanks God that I'm not like the rest of these men partying on Saturday night, going to the clubs, doing all the crazy things that people are doing here. We need to pray for them. We don't need to prove that kind of behavior, but we don't want to start getting up, buddy, because if we're not doing those things, it's because the mercy of God. And because he's given us a grace, it's not because we're so great. It's because he's great. And he's had mercy on us. So we don't want to get proud. Carnal men are prone to gluttony, eminent and spiritual men are prone to pride. According to st. Jerome, Saint Gregory, the great st. Thomas Christ was taken up out of the desert and carry through the air to the pinnacle of the temple, nor is it wonderful, succinct, Gregory.
Speaker 0 00:20:02 The great, the Christ should suffer the devil, the deal with him in this manner, since he suffered himself to be crucified by the devil's members, nor did the demon necessarily be Trey, who he himself was by this action, because he might've transported Christ in the guise of an angel of light, or perhaps the devil cared little about betraying, who he was by this action, since he already suspected and feared, that had been recognized by Christ Henson, the third temptation, which shouldn't be adored by Christ. He boldly throws off all disguise of an angel of light and unveils himself in a satanic arrogance say Thomas observes that although devil took Christ through the air in such a manner that Christ might be seen by all. And by this means might then be supposed to have dealings with Satan and therefore to be a sorcerer. Nevertheless, unbeknownst, the devil Christ acted invisibly so that no one would see him.
Speaker 0 00:21:00 So in fact, Christ made the devil suffering illusion who made a Ted to snare him for the devil thought that of Christ where the son of God, he would not allow himself to be taken up and carried through the air. By this means the devil would know whether he was the son of God or not, but Christ by allowing himself to be taken up by him, frustrated the demons plan and left him still in doubt, verse seven, Jesus said to him, it is written again, thou shall not tempt the Lord, thy God for he temps God who acts for a miracle without necessity, such as in this case, throwing oneself down, trusting that hands of angels would support one plus Christ leaves the devil uncertain so that he could not tell from this temptation, where does this son of God or not verse eight? Again, the devil took him up into a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, the devil snatches Christ from the pinnacle at temple and carries him through the air to the very high mountain.
Speaker 0 00:21:59 So as to show him from there all the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them, the splinter, the city, the multitudes of the people, the beauty of the lands, the might of it's Kings and princes and whatever there was of beauty and magnificence in anything. So he might desire them and desire them might then adore the one promised them to him, but no desire is sailed Christ soul in as much as someone in the state of original justice and therefore free of all concupiscence would have the utmost composure in a mind subject to God and accordingly would disdain all worldly things and strive for what is heavenly. And not only does he have, he doesn't suffer from concupiscence. He has the beatific vision. So the beautiful vision, the saints in heaven have that where they're seeing God, it st. Paul says, we'll see face to face.
Speaker 0 00:22:46 So they got a fancy $3 word advice and species that impressed and intellect. What that means is a person sees this infinite goodness. And so the wheel just slams on all goodness, cause all creative things just share in that good insofar. Something's good. It's because there's something good in it that God placed in it. But that the source of goodness is right there. So even if the devil, this would be impossible. If the devil were allowed to try to tempt people in heaven, they way you could show them any particular thing or everything. Every creed created thing, and they wouldn't be moved adults like, well, this is just dust and trash. Who cares? Because they have infinite goodness there, they wouldn't be moved. So not only does he not have concupiscence, he has a terrific vision. So there's no he's been tempted on outside, but there's absolutely no movement on the inside of our Lord verse nine and said to him, all these things, will I give the falling down out?
Speaker 0 00:23:35 Will the door me, you ask, how did the devil dare to make such an empire and unworthy proposal to Christ? I answered because he had seen Christ again and again, declining work a miracle. So it seemed to be more and more certain that he was not the son of God. The devil then grew bolder prouder and more impudent at Christ, modest silence and allowing himself to be transported from the pinnacle of the temple, to the mountain top and suspected that Christ was not the son of God, but a mere man. Therefore he demands here from Christ and also from all other men, the same divine honors, which had formerly coveted in heaven before he was cast down into hell for this ambition of being a God is, is innate in Satan. And it blinds him, which is precisely why introduced idols that through them, he might be worshiped.
Speaker 0 00:24:27 This is why poses is the son of God and desires to be worshiped as such by Christ at the same time. While however, the devil is certainly testing, whether Christ is the son of God. The devil's wondering if Christ is truly the son of God, he will despise me from irrigating to myself. This <inaudible> when I pretend to be the son of God and demand that you adore me as such, therefore he will be angry and gnash his teeth and reply. Why are you so arrogant? I'm the son of God. You are Satan. You should adore me in the two previous temptation. Satan wished to test directly with a Christ with the son of God. Hence he says, if that will be the center of God and only indirectly, try to entice Christ to sin by gluttony and Vainglory. And his third temptation over his direct object is to attempt price, to avarice, ambition and idolatry and indirectly to find out if you were the son of God, Saint Luke points out in his gospel, the devil gave a reason to prove his right talking is by saying for, to me, they are delivered.
Speaker 0 00:25:30 And to whom I will, I give them, but the demon told two lies there. First it's a lie that God has given all kingdoms into his power. The devil can do nothing in them unless God permits it and grants it. Second, it's alive that the demon gives them to whomever he wills. Hence the devil did not tend to give them to Christ. It would not have given them, even if Christ had adored him as inspired inerrant word of God States in Psalm 23, one quote, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world, and all they that dwell there in the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof note. First of all, the order and predation attempt tations, the first temptation, the Christ should make bread from stones. It's gluttony. The second that he should cast himself down from the temple summit.
Speaker 0 00:26:19 So ostentatious in Vainglory, the 30 should door, the tempter who promised him all the world's kingdom was avarice pride. And I Daughtry Christ by his examples and answers teaches us the first temptation, the flesh and hunger has to be overcome by hoping in God and in his Providence. The second of pride and presumption has to be vanquished by the fear of God. The third to avarice ambition must be driven away by greatness of soul and contempt of the world. Verse 10. Then Jesus said to him, be gone. Satan Christ here teaches us the answer we should give to the devil when he tempts us to avarice or to any other sin, all temptation, tens, and entices to this that we should prefer the creature to the creator and worship it is his idol and serve such a demonic thing. Instead of God, be gone. Satan is about the maximum dialogue anybody should have with the devil.
Speaker 0 00:27:17 We pray if you're, if you're under attack, precious blood wash over me, it'd be gone Satan, and then pray Volcker, Lord and Volcker lady vote Saint Michael, but pray. We don't want to have a conversation with the devil Eve was perfect. And look what a con, where a conversation with the devil led her. And we're not, we have to be humble. So we don't carry on any kind of dialogue with the devil verse 11. Then the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered to him. Learn from this that he bravely conquers the devil in his suggestions merits and is rewarded by the fellowship, the constellation and the ministry of the angels. Let's close with a few last thoughts from Saint Gregory. The grade we deny ourselves during lent and so to speak, give a tie on our year to God that we have lived for ourselves might modify ourselves for our maker by abstinence, in his tent of it.
Speaker 0 00:28:18 Hence deer's brother and his year commanded by the lot offer the tide of your substance. So also offer to God the tide of your days, Christ was assailed by threefold temptation, namely gluttony, Vainglory, and avarice, because Adam had been attacked and overcome by the same temptations. The devil tempted Adam to gluttony. When he showed them the fruit of the forbidden tree and persuaded him to eat. He tempted Adam to Vainglory. When he said you shall be as gods. He tempted Adam to covetousness when he added knowing good and evil forever says not only of money, but also of greatness for that, which is rightly called avarice where there's immoderate ambition to loftiness. Then Christ was a sail by the same temptations, but prove victorious. The devil tempts him to gluttony. When he says, tell these stones to become bread, he tends to buy Vainglory. When he says, if that will be the son of God, cast yourself down, he tends to buy covetousness of magnificence.
Speaker 0 00:29:19 When he shows him all the Kings, the world saying all these will I give the falling down with all the door me yet by those same means, is he conquered by the second man, but which he boasted have conquered the first man, just as Hunter set snares for various wild animals, baiting them with various foods. So as to capture particular kind of animal, so to the devil offers foods and delicacies to those prone to gluttony, as he offered some here to Christ or those who are fully offers, ease, sleep, and slaw to the proud he offers honors to the angry lawsuits and strives to the issues, usury frauds, unjust contracts. And to the curious, the offer, sorcery incantations and superstitions. The first temptation of flesh and hunger is overcome by hoping and God and his Providence. The second of pride and presumption is to be vanquished by the fear of God. The third to adverse ambition must be driven away by greatness of soul and contempt of the world.
