“One does not live by bread alone.” It is the first return shot by Jesus to the temptations of the devil. It is the first response of the Son of God about that ongoing struggle against sin and the forces of the evil one to teach us, his brothers and sisters, about what truly matters. And, if we are honest, it is a necessary prescription to that very human temptation to want to turn stones to bread. To take things that will never feed us, never satisfy us, and try to make them do so.
What stones are you trying to feed yourself with?
…If you watched the superbowl commercials of last week, you would have seen many advertisers telling you that driving a certain automobile, eating a certain hamburger, owning a certain possession, will turn your ordinary life into something others will envy. A machine that provides transportation can quickly become a status symbol. Having the ‘right’ possession will lead to a full life. And though we might not ever think it that blatantly, isn’t that exactly how we sometimes treat all those four-wheel “stones”, and possessions – as if they can be nourishing bread? One does not live on 4 by 4 SUV’s alone..
I sometimes smile as I watch my students sitting around the table during soup following mass, trying to sneak peek at their phone texts while sitting right next to live human beings. (I have been guilty of doing the same.) And whether they are texting, snapchatting, facebooking, tindering, (pick your social media) these are only great TOOLS to help foster communication. They are not the end in themselves. True connection requires conversation, looking into the eyes of another, listening with ear and heart to words and gestures and feelings. Communication, connection – those may be begun with these (hold up phone) but these can never become bread. “One does not live on Facebook alone…
I listen with interest the conversations that students/parishioners have about binge watching on Netflix. I saw all of “House of Cards” or “Breaking Bad” or “Game of Thrones” or “Downtown Abbey”. They can describe in great depth the plot lines, character motivations, and intrigue of these fictional characters. And in so doing, can feel hip – Can say, I have value. I wonder what our world would be like if we spent the same amount of time and energy working on Ferguson. Or education. Or eradicating poverty… One does not live by Netflix alone…
And so it goes. In a hundred different venues, in a thousand different social interactions, in the complex and amazing ways that we try to navigate what it means to be a human being – we fall prey to that ancient trap of the devil – first learned from the fall of Adam and Eve and then from Jesus temptation in the desert: to take something – anything – and put it in the place of God. To seek nourishment outside of the normal channels which give life. Turning stones to bread.
2000 years after this gospel, I somehow doubt that the tempter has changed tactics. It is very effective tool. A very subtle and sneaky way to go about the work of turning people to sin. Have people turn stones to bread. Have them feed off of things that will not satisfy. Have them put anything but God in the place where only God can fill.
Jesus knew best what feeds us – the Word of God. St. Augustine said it this way – Our hearts are restless until they rest in God. As long as we try to make bread from stones, we will still be hungry.
This week, I invite you to take an honest look at the THINGS that you do on a regular basis. Make a list, a log recording if you dare, of the time you spend during an average week doing stuff. “X” amount of hours at the office. “Y” on the commute. “Z” – with my spouse. “A” with the kids. “B” – with God in prayer. And then, at the end of the week, just look at the chart. What does the time you spend doing the tasks and choices of your life say about who/what is most important? Does it tell you what stones you are quietly trying to turn to bread?
And then hear again, the first response to ending the temptations of the devil: “One does not live on bread alone….”