Slowly Count to 40

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil* said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’

Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

- Luke 4.1-13 (NRSV)

Lent takes its name from the same word that gives slow music its lento tempo: lentus. It has at least two meanings. The first and most familiar meaning is “slow, lingering, lasting.” Lent, then, is a season for slowing down, lingering a while on the spiritual journey, discovering the lasting meaning of life. Certainly, Jesus takes his time. Forty days fasting in the wilderness is enough time to slow down and figure out what direction he is to take in life. But it’s also an interminably long time when crisis comes. Now, not yet 40 days from the earthquake in Haiti, we see how long days in crisis can become.

That’s why another meaning is helpful. The second meaning of lentus is “tough, resistant, barely yielding to force.” Jesus displays toughness in his encounter with the devil. He resists temptation. He does not yield to the forces of hunger, weakness, or self-doubt. When faced with the vast suffering and evil present in the world, we must not be overwhelmed. Jesus is trustworthy. God’s love is the engine that powers our resistance. Our compassion will not yield. There is no disaster so large that we cannot meet it in the confidence of a compassionate faith.

How will you slow down this season, as the ashes imposed on your forehead on Wednesday are washed away by now, this first Sunday of Lent? Take a moment today and slowly count to 40, breathing in, holding it, and breathing out. With each new breath, visualize the inner toughness that you will draw on to resist the forces that separate you from God. Feel the compassion that rises up toward those in need. Act on your faith. Make God’s love visible in the things you do.

We do not put God to the test. Instead, in the slow, steady march of this season’s journey, God is testing us, refining us, tempering us like steel.

Along the way, I wish you God’s peace on today’s stage of your Lenten spiritual journey. May Christ’s companionship bless you with confidence for the day, comfort you in trouble, and put a spring of joy in your step.