Gospel – Matthew 4:1-11
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
538 The Gospels speak of a time of solitude for Jesus in the desert immediately after his baptism by John. Driven by the Spirit into the desert, Jesus remains there for forty days without eating; he lives among wild beasts, and angels minister to him. At the end of this time Satan tempts him three times, seeking to compromise his filial attitude toward God. Jesus rebuffs these attacks, which recapitulate the temptations of Adam in Paradise and of Israel in the desert, and the devil leaves him “until an opportune time.”
From “The Passion” Testimony of Catalina Rivas (Part 1.1:1-6)
JESUS PREPARES HIMSELF
1) There are souls who think about My Passion, but very few who think about My preparation for My public life: My loneliness!
2) The forty days which I spent on the mountainside were the most distressing days of My life because I spent them completely alone, preparing My Spirit for what would come. I suffered hunger, thirst, discouragement, and bitterness. I knew that for those people My sacrifice would be useless since they would deny Me. In that solitude I perceived that neither My new doctrine nor My sacrifices and miracles could save the Jewish people who would become God-slayers.
3) Nevertheless, I had to carry out My duty, the Divine Mission. I had to first leave My seed and die later. How sad this is, looking at it from the human point of view!
4) I was also a man and felt sadness and anguish. I found Myself very alone! I mortified My Body by fasting and My Spirit by prayer. I prayed for all humanity who would deny Me, who would sacrifice Me so many times…
5) I was tempted as any other mortal, and Satan was never more curious to know who the man was that remained so alone and so abandoned.
6) Think about everything that I had to suffer to save man, to be able to reign in his heart, to make possible his entrance into My Father’s Kingdom.
Each week we will be presenting a portion of the following Sunday’s readings, and linking it to relevant parts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and messages from the Testimony of Catalina. Pay special attention to the italicized underlined sections. We hope this is inspiring and educational. Any comments you have are certainly welcomed.
Tim Francis prepared this educational program to help you increase your faith and love for the Holy Trinity and our Blessed Mother. His website is http://YouShallBelieve.com
I have known Tim for many years and recommend his work highly. He is a strong advocate for the “The Real Body and Blood Of Jesus” and the numerous miracles that occur on a daily basis. Both of us are greatly inspired by the amazing writings of Catalina Rivas. Catalina is one of the few individuals in history who personally experienced the “Stigmata Of Jesus Christ.”