TEMPTATION

James 1:!2-18; Ps 94 Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord; Mark 8:14-21

"Do you still not understand?"

In today's gospel Jesus ask a lot of questions. The second half of the gospel is a list of questions Jesus is posing to his disciples.  IT seems Jesus it a little frustrated with their lack of comprehension and the slow uptake.

I wonder if Jesus is ever frustrated with our lack of comprehension and our slow uptake?


James in the first reading continues to play with the reality of being tested as opposed to tempted.  It seems to me these two realities are really two sides of the same coin depending on how we choose to perceive it.

God does not tempt us but he does test us.  Sometimes testing can be look upon as tempting depending on one's attitude.  In the gospel JEsus is critiquing the attitude of the disciples.


Temptations are like CAT SCANS for the soul,  They reveal to us the ailments in our desires.  They point out where we need more fortification.  They point out where we need strength exercises to build those spiritual muscles.

They are necessarily problematic unless we refuse to heed their warning and grow in strength in God's grace.

See where yo are tempted on a regular basis?  How do you handle it?  Do you use it as opportunity to grow in strength and fortify the weaken area or not?