Lent: Wilderness

Luke 4:1-13

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church from the Gospel of Luke:

Jesus returned from the Jordan filled with the Holy Spirit, and she led him into the desert 2 for forty days, where he was tempted by the Devil. Jesus ate nothing during that time, at the end of which he was famished. 3 The Devil said to Jesus, “If you are God’s Own, command this stone to turn into bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “Scripture has it, ‘We don’t live on bread alone.’ ” 5 Then the Devil took Jesus up higher and showed him all the nations of the world in a single instant. 6 The Devil said, “I’ll give you all the power and the glory of these nations; the power has been given to me and I can give it to whomever I wish. 7 Prostrate yourself in homage before me, and it will all be yours.” 8 In reply, Jesus said, “Scripture has it: ‘You will worship the Most High God; God alone will you adore.’ ” 9 Then the Devil led Jesus to Jerusalem, set him up on the parapet of the Temple and said, “If you are God’s Own, throw yourself down from here, 10 for scripture has it, ‘God will tell the angels to take care of you; 11 with their hands they’ll support you, that you may never stumble on a stone.’ ” 12 Jesus said to the Devil in reply, “It also says, ‘Do not put God to the test.’ ” 13 When the Devil had finished all this tempting, Jesus was left alone. The Devil awaited another opportunity.

This is the word of the Lord.         Thanks be to God