And Also With You What is Temptation?
Mar 30, 2026
The Rev. Angela Tyler-Williams, an ordained minister offering theological reflection and pastoral insight. She explores why Jesus faces temptation in the wilderness and how fasting and spiritual practices train resilience. Short reflections probe identity, discernment, the nature of the three temptations, and resisting convenience culture while imagining Eucharistic, neighbor-centered life.
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Wilderness As Spiritual Training
- Jesus' forty-day fast functions as spiritual training, not merely a final exam before ministry.
- The wilderness prepares him with practices (fasting, prayer) to withstand temptation at ministry's start.
Temptation Is About How Power Is Used
- The things the devil offers Jesus (bread, healing, kingship) are not inherently evil; the problem is their use and purpose.
- Temptation tests whether goods serve God's liberating work or feed authoritarian power and self-preservation.
Keep Practices Before The Wilderness
- Build regular spiritual practices in times of plenty so you have habits to rely on during hardship.
- Lizzie notes discipline matters: habits like prayer and liturgy become what you fall back on when the wilderness comes.
