Sermon for the Wednesday of Invocavit, 2025

Just because Jesus overcame the devil’s temptations, both in the wilderness and upon the Cross, this does not mean that the devil ceases tempting us. Actually, the opposite is true; the devil tempts those who follow Jesus. He doesn’t tempt those with no faith, for they are already his; instead, the devil assaults those with faith, that they might lose it. And, in a seemingly peculiar manner, the Lord permits it. One of the chief burdens of following Christ Jesus, one of the crosses of the Faithful, so to speak, is wrestling against and bearing up under the devil’s temptations. For, while the devil tempts faith, the Lord tests faith; moreover, the Lord uses the devil and his temptations to test it. Thus, we discover, that just as it was necessary that Jesus be tempted by the devil, so, it is also necessary that we, likewise, be tempted by the devil. Not for our salvation, mind you, as Jesus did. Rather, we endure the devil’s temptations in order that we might be brought low; that, in humility, we might turn all the more in faith to Christ Jesus for our salvation. Through the devil’s temptations, faith is tested, and that testing is for our good. 

Readings:

• Old Testament: Numbers 11:1-3

• Epistle: James 1:2-15

• Holy Gospel: Luke 22:24-32

Sermon: