What does the devil look like? Does he carry a pitchfork and have horns and a long tail? Is he the image that Flip WIlson's Geraldine made famous with her comment: "The devil made me do it"? Or is he a reality with whom we need to deal in our journey with God toward eternal life? Pope Francis seems to believe in the latter.
The devil, as a force for evil , plays a major role in today's first reading and Gospel. In each instance, the devil appeals to human weakness and offers false promises. In Jesus, we have the power, through grace, to withstand the lies and temptations of the devil.
Mankind is created from the earth but enjoys the breath of life. Thus, humans are living beings intended by God for life to the full. We are earthly but filled with the breath of life.
God blesses Adam and Eve with his protective word to not eat of the tree of knowledge. God gave his command not to limit, but to protect, human freedom. God cares for his creatures.
The devil, who cares nothing about the welfare of humans and is the "Father of Lies," says that by eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, humans will gain knowledge, the knowledge of what is good and what is evil; something God jealously wants to reserve for himself.
The consequences were dramatic. They see everything - God, themselves, and nature, in a different light. They now know evil and sin. And to know implies being responsible for what is known.
St. Paul clearly says that death entered the world through the first man's sin, but grace and life through the obedience of Jesus. Man's disobedience led to death and sin. Christ's obedience leads to life and good. Christ, because he is divine as well as human can, and did, make the perfectly obedient response to the Father. Thus, he reversed the disobedience of humankind.
In St. Matthew's gospel we hear of the temptations of the devil towards Jesus. The temptations are worded as conditional causes - IF you are the Son of God. The devil does not believe that Jesus is the son of God. The devil does not have faith, which is required to believe that Jesus is who he says he is.
The first temptation is to turn stones into bread. A good thing to do, but the nourishment that Jesus brings is found in the Word of God, and in obedience to that word.
The second temptation asks Jesus to prove his divinity by throwing himself off the parapet of the Temple and, thus, put his life on the line. Jesus will indeed put his life on the line by obediently laying down his life in the crucifixion. Jesus will die because he is the son of God, not in order to prove it. Jesus remains obedient to his mission. The third temptation has to do with power and prestige, wealth, and domination. Jesus makes it clear that his mission is to be found in humility and service. Israel, as a nation, had failed in these areas; Jesus does not.
Lent is a time for us to follow our call to prove that we are creatures filled with God's breath of life and to live obediently. Because we are baptized, we have the life of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Jesus won the victory for us. We need not - and, in reality, cannot - reverse the effects of evil and sin in our lives by our own efforts. But, then again, we don't have to.
Lent is a time to "turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."
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