Daily Devotion for Wednesday 16th October 2024

St Luke 4: 1 – 13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.  The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’  Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.”’

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.  And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’  Jesus answered him, ‘It is written,

“Worship the Lord your God,and serve only him.”’

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

“He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”,

and

“On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’

Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’ When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Reflection

Sadly the Church, unlike Jesus,  hasn’t resisted temptation.  It’s understandable really.  An emperor came along winning a battle through, he bizarrely believed, Christ’s help and suddenly Christianity was decriminalised.  People came in droves seeking baptism to curry favour with the new regime.  The emperor cast his lot with this new religion to replace Rome’s old tired gods.  But there was a heavy price for this partnership; the emperor meddled in Church affairs; the Church found it had to guard its tongue.

Some may look back at Constantine’s patronage of the Church as a good thing, ensuring our survival down the centuries.  Our privileged place at the heart of European civilisation means that, at least, our culture is influenced by the Gospel.  Others may look at the compromises which blunted our message as ecclesiastical mouths were stuffed with gold, prophets silenced, and power concentrated in the families who ended up running both Church and state.  

Even now we seek to try to cling on to the trappings of power and influence.  The Church continues to be tempted to support politicians who use us; Mr Trump in America, Mde Le Pen in France, Mr Orbán in Hungary.  One suspects the Jesus revealed in the Gospels would have harsh things to say about both our political leaders and the compromises we make with them.

What, I wonder, would our history have been if we’d declined Constantine’s offer?  What if we’d wished him well but kept on with the simple task of proclaiming the Gospel.  What if we’d founded small communities which sought nothing more than to worship God through working for the greater good?  What if we’d rejected power?  Of course this is where we are now – or if not quite there approaching it at speed.  

The Faustian pact with the State has not given us what was dreamt of; only from the edge can we see, critique, and tend the world as Jesus does.

Prayer

Table-turning God,
guard us when we are tempted to accept power and glory in Your name,
remind us that the devil’s tools will not build the Kingdom,
You do not bless battles,
and the last and least need Your love, protection, and care,
Amen.