Today’s gospel can be easy to misunderstand. We hear the words of God – the words of Jesus- and we tend to hear them as rules or marching orders.
After his baptism at the River Jordan, even though the power of the Holy Spirit was with him, Jesus was led into the desert by the devil. For forty days long days he was tested. He was tempted to turn his back on God’s word. Encouraged to go his own way. Bullied to find an easy way out, but Jesus didn’t break.