AUDIO MEDITATION:

Vasily Surikov (Russian, 1848-1916), Temptation of Christ. Public domain.

FULL TEXT:

In our Gospel today, Jesus proclaims, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

This image lacks color and portrays the scene in stark lines. Jesus stands below the devil, almost enfolded in his wing, yet is not distracted. He refuses to look in the direction the devil points. Notice the look on his face—he knows the task before him. The kingdom is at hand—it is the time of fulfillment.

How might we adopt Jesus’ sense of purpose here? What can we do to follow his call to “repent and believe in the Gospel”?