Reflections on the Daily Mass Readings: "Psalm 23 begins with a soothing picture of comfort. The Lord, the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11), refreshes the psalmist, who refers contentedly to the Lord in the second Person, as 'He' (Ps 23:1-3). Suddenly, the psalmist encounters difficulty and suffering in 'the dark valley' (Ps 23:4). Notice that the psalmist now refers to the Good Shepherd in the first person, as 'You' (Ps 23:4-5). We come to know the Lord personally when we suffer with Him."
We can look on our temptations as opportunities for suffering with Christ. Turning away from them entails some initial 'dying to self'. It is only 'tempting' because it initially looks or promises to feel good...it just wouldn't be tempting otherwise. So our saying 'no' to something that we are perceiving as a 'good' takes self denial...suffering. If we could only have enough sense of mind at those moments to look beyond the moment of trial and see the consequences of our choice...giving in to the temptation will bring captivity, death and destruction...embracing the momentary pain will bring us closer to the Lord...now who wouldn't want that?
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