The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days,tempted by Satan (Mark 1:12).
The same Spirit with which Jesus will baptize (v. 8) is the same Holy Spirit that descends upon Him (v. 10) and is the same Spirit that drives Him into the desert. Kindly permit me to offer a few observations regarding God’s dramatic action in today’s Gospel.
FIRST, there is no murmuring, no opposition and no wondering “why me” – only obedience to the will of the Father.
SECOND, the desert (or “wilderness”) is neutral. It was the place where Israel had encountered the Living God and forged the sacred covenant. It is the likely place where the Ten Commandments were given to the People of God. It also is the site of difficult trials and diabolic temptations, where Israel’s infidelities are witnessed in their having murmurred against God and worshipped idols.
THIRD, the dramatic action is real for Jesus and real for us. Satan tempts Jesus and the angels look after Him. In the midst of our genuine struggles God truly provides for our care and well-being..
FOURTH, the desert represents our ordinary living. Whenver we are open to and ourselves receive the Holy Spirit, the Lord the Giver of Life, we live more confidently and compassionately in the throes of daily experience. The Spirit does not remove us from wherever we are called to be, but drives us into the “desert” that expressly is our life; that is, leading us to be more wholehearted in attending to our proper duties, our Christian vocation and our task to proclaim God’s Kingdom to those whom we meet along our way.
In our Catholilc Christian tradition we worship God – what we popularly call the Holy Mass – and so receive divine graces that truly equip us for better daily living. That is, when the Holy Spirit is driving us through our day, there is noticably less murmuring and wondering why on our part despite the trials and temptations that assail us.
