Luke 4:1-13 Lynne Smith, OSB
February 14, 2016
Walter Wink begins the introduction to his book Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination with this statement: “One of the most pressing questions facing the world today is, How can we oppose evil without creating new evil and being made evil ourselves?”
I think this question was lurking behind our national debate over water boarding some years ago. When other countries used water boarding, we called it torture. When our country used it, people said it was a necessary means of obtaining intelligence to stop the evil done by Iraq. Evil becomes part of the culture of society in subtle ways when we are not awake and aware.
Wink’s question continues to be urgent as world leaders grapple with how to stop terrorist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram. We’re good at recognizing evil in its outer manifestation in others but have a much more difficult time seeing it as an inner dynamic at work in our own institutions and psyches. Evil lurks under many attractive disguises in our day not the least of which are expediency, economic gain or national security.
For instance, we abolished the institution of slavery in this country after the Civil War. However, the dynamic of slavery continues to be enshrined in laws and business practices that allow people to work full-time, even two or three jobs, and still not make enough to support their families.
In Scripture, evil goes by several names. Satan means Accuser. Devil means divider or one who tears things apart. In the biblical tradition the devil works several ways. Sometimes Satan is working with God, as in the case of Job, to uncover what is in a person’s heart. At other times, the devil works to seduce people into activities that are contrary to God’s will. Both of these functions are at play in our gospel reading today.
We can understand this story of Jesus’ temptation as a test to find out what is in Jesus’ heart. At stake is how Jesus will use his status and power as the Beloved Son of God to feed the hungry, to rule the world with justice and to serve God faithfully which is his mission.
This story tells us that Jesus will not put his own survival first or draw the people into his power by caring for their physical needs. He will not use a divine version of “bomb them to smithereens ” to expel the Romans from Palestine and rule over the nations. He will not use his status as Beloved Son to make God legitimize his ministry by some miraculous sign. Those strategies belong to the devil or the Powers of Domination as Walter Wink calls them.
What about current methods of eradicating evil? Shooting everyone who is the wrong color or ethnicity, bombing nations off the face of the earth or locking people away from society will not make us safe from evil as much as we keep trying. That use of power only enthrones evil and injustice more staunchly in our own psyches and institutions and makes us all feel powerless. Wink’s question is apropos: “How can we oppose evil without creating new evil and being made evil ourselves?”
Jesus’ life and death shows a way to live in right/just relationships. His is a way of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation, a way that binds together and heals. It is the way of conversion of heart and transformation of society and relationships.
Our Lenten practices of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting help us to be alert to the ways we are tempted by evil and open us to a conversion of heart. Our practices of repentance, Scripture reading and gathering with the community of faith strengthen us for the work of justice: “loosing the bonds of injustice, undoing the thongs of the yoke and letting the oppressed go free,” in Isaiah’s words, without mirroring evil.
This Lent, may we pray with Jesus: “Do not forsake us at the test but deliver us from evil. For the glory, the power and the mercy are yours now and forever.” May we hear Jesus’ call to the deep transformation of our hearts.