How often do we hear the words, “The devil made me do it.” When Eve sinned and was being asked by God, her very words, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” When Adam was being asked by God why did he eat the fruit? “The woman you put here with me – she gave me the fruit from the tree and I ate it.” How often does it happen that when we sin, we look for a scapegoat? We look for someone to blame? We look for the culprit?

In the Gospel, before Jesus started His ministry, He was tempted with three things: First, Gratification – “why be hungry, just eat;” Second, He was tempted with power and glory thinking that this is the source of happiness; Third, Ego – “If you are the Son of Man.” In other words it is all about pride.

My dear friends, if Jesus was tempted, surely, we too will be tempted. Three way how to fight temptation:

1. Avoid situations and the people that will lead you to sin. If a person goes out with a group that has a lifestyle that is far from God, certainly, that person will sooner or later fall into sin. After we have sinned once or twice, may we be humble enough to admit that we are not strong enough and hence must always avoid people and the occasion of sins.
2. Avoid Idleness. How often has it happened to us that when we are doing nothing and we are bored, that we do things that eventually we will regret? St. John Bosco once said, “Idleness is the workshop of the devil.”
3. Mass and Prayer. The greatest war not seen but is very real – is good versus evil. As creations of God in God’s image and likeness, nothing gives so much satisfaction than God’s son or daughter falling into sin. Hence, never forget the Mass, the rosary, the sacrament of Confession; acts of kindness, these things give us graces to avoid sin. 

In our life, we must remember, that temptations will always be there. Relying on the grace of God, we remember what cannot break us will only make us stronger.