Temptation

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Over the last 20 years we have had two popes of great exception first we had the great Pope blessed John Paul II who showed taught us all something about discipleship through the suffering he endured through the last years of his life. And now we have our present Pope Benedict who has made a brave and courageous decision to stand down as Pope due to failing energy and strength.  He says: “After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.”
I suspect that for different reasons the temptation either to carry on or to step down was a very real to them both. In today’s Gospel we have the temptations of Jesus where if he gives into temptation he will gain earthly power. The devil showed him a kind of short cut for his mission. Through prayer and fasting he was able not to give into these kinds of Temptations. 

Lent is a time when we are asked to pray more to fast and to do works of Charity. We are asked to put aside for a while worldly temptations and to be more attune to the person of Christ and his will. This may mean slowing down and giving up those things that we hold dear to. There may also be times when we need not be so proud. Sometimes we do not allow others to help us because we feel that we can do it alone. In the statement that Benedict said on Monday he put his total reliance on God. He knew this was a difficult decision. He showed great humility to say no to human pride and yes to God. 
 
 
The trouble is that all too often we give into temptation of one kind or another. We struggle with it and find it difficult. Sometimes this is because we rely on self rather than God.  I firmly believe that it becomes a lot easier if we ask for help: if we rely on God to help us and to lead us. Sometimes we do not totally understand it but we like the Holy Father did this week need to put our trust in him. Pope Benedict finished his speech with these words. “And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff” May this also be our prayer over the coming weeks.In the Ash Wednesday service the Holy Father was given a standing ovation for about 10 minutes. He looked emotional and really quite vulnerable but all he said was "Thank you and now let us continue to pray". May this also our prayer through lent.  


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