Question: What the Devil is the Devil? ruminations of a recently retired priest

The devil dares us. “God helps those who help themselves. As son of God you have every right and reason to wrench and wield your social and political power. As daughter of God you are chosen, special and indestructible. Now prove it!” (Adaptation of Matthew 4.1–11, see below)

Answer: The Enemy of Human Consciousness

I suspect you agree, the devil in our story is no skinny fellow in red tights, jabbing Jesus and us with a rusty fork. The devil in this story is what St. Ignatius of Loyola calls “the enemy of human consciousness.” * The enemy of human consciousness is the movement of thoughts and feelings within Jesus’ mind and heart (and ours) that tempt him (and us) to grasp, penetrate and master his (our) situation. The bottom line is this. The devilish enemy of human consciousness sets us up to put our faith in ourselves rather than in God.

Devilish setup #1. If you are the son of God, prove it by “commanding this stone to become a loaf of bread.” The enemy of human consciousness tempts Jesus to presume to be in control, to relieve his hunger by relying on his special powers. Instead, Jesus remembers the counsel to the Israelites in the Hebrew Scripture, “And you shall remember all the ways which the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that the Lord might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart… that the Lord might make you know that (humanity) does not live by bread alone, but lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.” (Deut 8.2–3) Rather than putting his faith in himself, Jesus turns toward the word of God as the source of his life and sustenance, “I do not live by bread alone.”

Devilish setup #2. Watch the sly enemy of human consciousness up the ante, luring Jesus to test God. Can you hear the tempting tacks and turns of Jesus mind? “If everything that happened at my baptism is true; heaven’s wedding lace is torn, a lily dove lands on my chest and irrefutable words claim me as God’s own, then I must be indestructible. As son of God I should be able to leap from this steeple and God’s army will catch me.” But, rather than putting faith in his special status, Jesus relies on the words of Scripture, “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test…” (Deut 6.16) And the enemy of human consciousness is silent, but only for a moment.

Devilish setup #3. Relentless, the crafty enemy lures Jesus to a soaring steeple to see earthquakes, toxic spills, rampant greed and the raging need for social and political reform in all the kingdoms of the world. Standing on bloated moral high ground, Jesus is tempted to craft an idol of social causes and political campaigns until he remembers Moses’ instruction to the Israelites,“… you shall serve the LORD, and swear by the LORD’s name. You shall not go after other gods…” (Deut 6.13–14) Again, Jesus refuses to declare and deploy self righteous supremacy. Instead, Jesus hears and heeds God’s instruction. “Worship the Lord your God and serve only God.”

If Jesus, even Jesus, is vulnerable to the enemy of human consciousness, what hope is there for me? However shall I survive this wilderness moment?

As a recently retired priest I catch the enemy of human consciousness tempting me with mouth watering images to show off my gifts and talents and put an end to to this bewildering wilderness wandering, “Look at me and all that I can do for you!” Oops. I think I have been seduced. “Get behind me you red legged vamp. Help me God to put my faith in You and humbly submit to wandering and waiting for You in the wilderness.”

But as soon as that prayer slips from my lips the enemy of human consciousness sends my thoughts flying. “Remember God, it was You who called me to be a priest, You who caused me to fall in love with the people and do what I thought I could never. If it was You who chose me then, prove it and choose me again!” Oh dear, the tempter is winding my mind around his spindly legs. “Cease and desist you duplicitous demon.” “O God, help me to trust and not test You.”

Before I catch a breath of peace the enemy of human consciousness grabs me again. “Look around. There is so much good that needs to be guarded, so many people who need to be protected. If the Church has no use for me, I will cast my lot with the body politic.” Oy vey! I almost slipped off my righteous ledge and tumbled into the pit. I better borrow Jesus’ words. “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only God.’”

It being the beginning of my retirement, coupled with forty timeless days cheek to jowl with Jesus in the Lenten wilderness, there is every chance the crimson demon will wheedle me with his wobbly legs, coaxing me to kiss this wilderness good bye. Yes. It is tempting to get a job at Starbucks and let my starlight shine on every cup of Jo, but I say “No. My only job is to serve God.” So I wait in the willful wilderness. “Help me Jesus!”

• *The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, as translated by Louis J. Puhl,S.J.

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Matthew 4:1–11 Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

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