Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation,
for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life
that he promised to those who love him.
In order to persevere we must avoid the corrupting influences that come at us from the world, the flesh, and the devil. We must guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. Herod commits many sins because of his fear of death and the desire to protect his throne. The Pharisees frequently fail to be compassionate and are ultimately complicit in the death of Jesus because of their spiritual pride, their need to always be right, and to be known to be right.
The leaven of Herod and the leaven of the Pharisees are subtle. The initial motivation doesn't seem like it would lead to the eventual crime. But it can, if we are not on our guard. This is because leaven is something that we manifest from the inside out. When we let it in it is a corruption in our will and in our motivation rather than merely something in the world around us.
Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire.
Then desire conceives and brings forth sin,
and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.
How can we avoid deception at so fundamental a level?
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters:
all good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
It isn't by correctly cataloging every negative influence on us. It is rather being so focused on the gifts given to us by God that we don't need the leaven of the Pharisees. It is being so filled by the bread of heaven that we do not turn to the bread of earth in desperation.
The most perfect of the gifts of God is the bread from heaven, Jesus Christ, present in the Eucharist. If we can make him truly the source of our life and our joy we won't be fooled by the substitutes the world offers. We ourselves will be transformed and made able to help fill that same hunger in the world.
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
It begins with a simple act of trust in the LORD.
When I say, "My foot is slipping,"
your mercy, O LORD, sustains me;
When cares abound within me,
your comfort gladdens my soul.
So perhaps that can become our prayer for today.
"When cares abound within me, your comfort gladdens my soul."
And then once more, meaning for ourselves what the words say:
"When cares abound within me, your comfort gladdens my soul."
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