There are three exercises that human beings need to balance to be healthy human beings. These exercises are Physical exercise, Spiritual exercise, and Intellectual exercise or the exercise of the will. These three exercises correspond to the three temptations that Jesus face after forty days of fasting in the desert.
The first temptation, Satan said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus responded, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.” It is absolutely that our human beings are not all about eating, drinking, and all the pleasures of the flesh. Since we are created differently from animals in that we have our soul, we are not this flesh alone like animals. Therefore, eating and drinking, and enjoying life are the basic needs of our human beings, but they are not all of who we are and what we are. We need to practice our physical exercise to moderate our needs and to control our wants.
The second temptation, Satan said to Jesus, “I shall give to you all this power and glory … if you worship me.” Jesus responded, “It is written, You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve. ” From the beginning of creation, God created man and breathed into his nostril the spirit to bring him into being reported in the first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis. God then is the author of our beings that we should worship him and him alone. Therefore, Jesus’ temptation teaches us to recognize the need for God in our life, and him alone that we worship. This is through the practice of our spiritual exercise.
Third temptation, Satan said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands, they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus responded, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” The most beautiful gift that God created us with is the gift of free will. This determination of making a choice needs to be directed towards God to acknowledge the need for him and he alone that we worship with no one else besides him. This can only happen when we learn to practice the exercise of our free will to follow God’s Commandments and the teachings of the Lord Jesus.
Lenten Season is already begun with Ash Wednesday. Let’s take advantage of this Lenten Season to practice to balance these three exercises that corresponded to the three temptations that the Lord Jesus faced in the desert after forty days of fasting and praying.
