Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving

Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving

Is temptation good? One thing we have to be clear about is that it is not a sin to be tempted. If we were to believe that every temptation is a sin, then our Lord could never have been tempted Himself. But Our Lord was. If the evil one is so bold as to tempt the Son of God, what does make us immune to be tempted by the father of lies?

This first week of Lent gives us the opportunity to ponder the part of the Scripture where Our Lord faces temptation in the desert.

Temptation never comes from God. However, God does permit us to be tempted. He does not make us fall into temptation, neither does he tempt us. But he does permit us to be tempted. Not with the objective that we fall into temptation, but with the whole purpose that we grow in holiness. When we are faced with temptation, temptation will force us to make a choice, either we will choose God or we will choose to yield to temptation. 

When we fail, it is mercy and forgiveness that are offered to us. But if we overcome temptation, many blessings and graces await. 

Ask the Lord’s help to give you the strength to practice the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is by these that we overcome temptation.