Nobody is Safe from Temptation

As Christians we are told that God will protect us from evil. We grow up knowing that God is watching over us. So then, why do so many leave the Church and walk in sin? Temptation is the great equalizer. The stronger our faith, the stronger the temptation.

The Lord said to his disciples, “When you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by Daniel the prophet, set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything away; and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle. And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if any one says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But take heed; I have told you all things beforehand.”

Mark 13.14-23

The key text in today’s passage is, “But for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.” These words are more profound than any comforting words our parents or grandparents whisper in our ears at night. They are profound because they are true.

It means that temptation will be so great, that if God does not come at ‘just the right time’ there will be nobody left in the Church. Think about what these words mean for you. Imagine the most pious man or woman in your community. Even they would fall away if Christ didn’t come.

It is why Christ taught us to pray for His guidance when He gave us the words of the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ to “Lead us not into temptation.” God already knows how strong the temptation will be. He already knows so many will not be able to withstand it. So, where does that leave us?

For those of us who know temptation is coming, we can be prepared. “But take heed; I have told you all things beforehand.” Since Christ warned us about temptation, we should take it seriously. We must always be ‘on the lookout’ for temptation. It lurks around every corner.

The season of Triodion is an opportunity for us to refocus our attention on temptation. If Christ warned us was coming, and the Holy Apostles commanded that we should pray the Lord’s Prayer three times per day, then our focus is to remain vigilant through prayer and fasting.

One of the greatest temptations is our own rationalization. “It’s not so bad if you skip your prayers today. God will forgive you.” Or “It is natural to feel this way. If I was made this way, then it can’t be sinful.” Anything that suggests sin is not sin, is temptation that should be avoided.

Today’s reading also means that we will fall, inevitably, to temptation from time to time. For that, we have the gift of Holy Confession for God’s forgiveness. Let’s begin by remembering that the Church was established by Christ to help us fight temptation and sin, through the sacraments.

It is time to ‘ramp up’ the fight against temptation. We may still fall. In fact, we will fall, but God honors the fight. At any rate, remember that even the elect are at risk of falling. I’m not the holiest person I know, so that means I am likely to fall first. Nobody is safe from temptation.