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“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” (Luke 4:1-2)
“SOUL-SURFING” – February 21, 2010
First Sunday of Lent
Luke 4:1-13
Fr. Robert deLeon, CSC
I find myself at that awkward age when men are apt to do crazy things as they desperately attempt to stave off the approaching inevitable. Some of my contemporaries have thrown caution to the wind with the purchase of exorbitantly-priced sports cars. Others, long married and with grandchildren even, have taken on youthful mistresses. Me? I got braces on my teeth.
It being the beginning of Lent, and confession being good for the soul, I make the public revelation that I have been wearing Invisalign orthodontic aligners since just before Christmas. Now, I need further confess that, while there are cosmetic advantages to having straight teeth, my dentist has assured me (soothing my bothersome conscience) that, in my case, the orthodontics are more therapeutic than cosmetic. As she told me plainly about Thanksgiving time last year, “Unless we do something soon about your lower front teeth, you’re going to lose four of them.” When I inquired about options, it was she who suggested Invisalign. At first I laughed, remembering those gawky teens I taught decades ago who wore shiny silver braces and nearly died of embarrassment every time a smile escaped their lips. “Come on, Doctor,” I replied. “Braces are for kids.” Then she went into her hard sell, assuring me that Invisalign aligners were developed specifically for adults. And no more shiny silver in one’s mouth! Invisalign is, as the name suggests, nearly invisible, made of clear plastic and removable for eating, brushing and flossing. Were this not enough hard sell to persuade me, she sent me home with pamphlets and a website address. Dutifully I opened the site and read:
“Your Invisalign treatment will consist of a series of aligners that you switch out about every two weeks. Each aligner is individually manufactured with exact calculations to gradually shift your teeth into place. And since your Invisalign system is custom-made for your teeth and your teeth only, with a plan devised by you and your dentist, you know you'll end up with a smile that truly fits. If you're ready for a smile that transforms your appearance, Invisalign is your answer. Although there are many choices out there, no other works as effortlessly as the Invisalign system.” (www.invisalign.com)
So, for two months now my mouth has been fairly full of plastic. My dentist has assured me that I will have straightened teeth accentuated by that unmistakable Invisalign smile in 12-15 months. To date, the aligners have been comfortable. There is, though, a hidden cost to wearing these dental restraints. Since they are only to be removed for meals, brushing and flossing, my food intake is confined to breakfast, lunch and supper. No snacking!
Well, I could do with a diet, and it is Lent, and we are advised to fast (and pray and give alms), but these monsters in my mouth really give me little choice. This Lent I’ll be fasting like never before, not because I really want to, but because I have to. At least if I want that Invisalign smile in 12-15 months.
In the gospel passage we hear on this First Sunday of Lent, we are offered a glimpse of Jesus sharing the very same struggle that is ours. Indeed, he knows how difficult it can be to combat temptation. As St. Luke relates, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” (Luke 4:1-2) Yes, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, and that Spirit led him into the desert to face the temptations offered by the devil. And no less are we filled with that same Holy Spirit when we are tempted. And, like Jesus, it’s that same Spirit that allows temptation to touch us. The big difference, of course, is that Jesus resisted the devil’s wiles. Often we don’t. But if we had a crutch, a bit of a boost from heaven, perhaps we’d have a better record of resisting temptation. But why would the Spirit of God not only allow us to be tempted in the first place but even lead us into situations where temptation occurs? It seems like a divine set-up!
The answer, I think, is that we surely do need crutches to resist the devil’s wiles. I think God wants us to realize how weak we are when we stand alone in a desert full of temptation. God wants us to cry out for a heavenly boost. For myself, this year’s Lenten battle to resist between-meal-snacking will be so much easier with the aid of a mouthful of Invisalign orthodontics. It’s just the crutch I need this Lent.
But there are so many greater temptations in life, snacking between meals surely laughable in the face of what we call the seven deadly sins: wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony. Yes, the temptation to indulge ourselves here is a matter of life and death. And I’m imagining we’ve all had occasion to give in to the devil’s wiles, allowing ourselves to wallow a bit in the mire.
This Lent, as we face more squarely our wanting record of resisting temptation, we need once more to confess that we’re weaker than we’d imagined. We need to confess that we need a crutch. We need to beg God for a hefty dose of the Holy Spirit that allowed him to remain free of the devil during his days in the desert. And not only will God send the Holy Spirit; he already has. It’s the Christian community. Yes, we need the support and prayer of one another to resist all that would lead us astray. We need to lean upon one another in the confession that alone we are weak individuals, but together in community we become stronger than the sum of the whole. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit among us.
By this time next year, Invisalign promises me I’ll have a smile that will transform my appearance. Meanwhile, though, let my crooked-toothed smile suffice as, leaning upon one another for support, we joyfully cross the desert on the journey home.