AUDIO NARRATION:

Rev. Anthony J. Lauck, C.S.C. (American, 1908–2001), Temptation in the Desert, n.d., charcoal on newsprint. Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame: Estate of Rev. Anthony J. Lauck, C.S.C., 2006.015.021.

FULL TEXT:

The focus for this first, short week of Lent is the temptation in the desert. The Gospel tells us that “the Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan.” In our Lenten journey, we join Jesus in the desert to face our demons and grapple with the forces that distract us from living faithfully.

Today’s image is a sketch from Father Anthony Lauck, a Holy Cross priest who chaired Notre Dame’s Art Department for many years. Look at the hands of Jesus and Satan in this illustration. What do they tell us about temptation and faithfulness?