Reading
Luke 4:1-4
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”
Devotion
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| Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness (Jésus tenté dans le désert) · Brooklyn Museum |
This week's painting, a watercolor over graphite, by French artist James Tissot (1836-1902) lives in the extensive collection of European art in the Brooklyn Museum. Alas, it is not currently on display. Tissot was a fairly popular painter of the Realist school in France. Following service in one of the Franco-Prussian wars and the death of his wife, he experienced a religious conversion in 1885. For the remainder of his life, he focused his watercolor work on portraying Biblical scenes. His series of 365 illustrations showing the life of Christ were shown to critical acclaim and enthusiastic audiences in Paris (1894–1895), London (1896) and New York (1898–1899), before being bought by the Brooklyn Museum in 1900.
Temptation is the theme of this painting. It portrays the temptation from the darkness of a cave looking outward. The world is visible behind the tempter, and emaciated figure, who appears broken and powerless, offering up a couple of rocks. Jesus, resplendent in white and gold garments is turned away from the tempter. Hands clasped in prayer he looks back over his shoulder. It is interesting to me that both his face and the tempter are shadowed. The tempter, unlike Jesus, appears to reflect no light, being entirely shrouded.
As convulsions of anxiousness erupt around us and people hunger for quick fixes, where do you find the ability to answer as Jesus does to the tempter--whose words are oh, so, reasonable, yet lures people into situations where there is never enough, and anxiety multiplies unendingly? The Christian truth claim is that Jesus is the ultimate non-anxious presence in our lives. In the Gospels, he faces chaotic situations and meets difficult people without letting anything take control of his feelings. As we enjoy his non-anxious presence in our lives, we can become a non-anxious presence in the lives of others.
What's making you anxious? Send me a note and I'll pray for you.
Prayer
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for the First Sunday of Lent, Book of Common Prayer)