2/18/18: 1st Sunday of Lent: On Temptation and Sin and what is truly Human

Today's Gospel is the short account of the temptation of Jesus in Mark's Gospel. If Jesus is the "New Adam" as St. Paul said, then we look to Jesus to see what is truly human. The fact that Jesus was tempted helps us to remember that this is a truly human part of life on earth--being tempted. So we ought not feel ashamed because of the fact that we have unwanted thoughts and temptations: Many of the saints have suffered such things. The Book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was like us in all things but sin (cf. 4:15). This tells us what is truly unnatural to man: Sin.