The Church Fathers, renowned Bible commentators, and parish priests during their Sunday and feast days’ sermons, understand and elucidate in various ways the following passage of the Lord’s Prayer: “and lead us not into temptation” or “do not let us fall into temptation.” This diverse range of interpretations reflects the profound richness and depth of the Father’s graces, not as difficult or obscure as some may perceive. In fact, these words of Jesus unveil the gates to the miraculous beauty of the garden that the Heavenly Father nurtured with his immense goodness.
Christians, recipients of the greatest divine grace, are not merely those who have earned such awe-inspiring and noble grace through their own actions and cooperation. Instead, they have been granted the communion of the Father’s own nature and have direct access to the Father in justice and righteousness.
It is crucial to remember that our justification was not achieved through our own merits or efforts. It was solely due to God’s unwavering steadfastness and faithfulness to his promise to lead us to salvation. Salvation, that New Covenant, our eternal destination, existed long before our sinful disobedience. It involved the reality of being fully united with the divine nature. However, after our disobedience, salvation also encompasses the remission of our sins and the expunction of the terrible divine curse. This is precisely what the prophet Isaiah proclaimed: “About Zion I will not be silent, about Jerusalem I shall not rest until saving justice dawns for her like a bright light and her salvation like a blazing torch.” (Isaiah 62:1)
Our reliance on our own strength in achieving salvation often manifests as a subtle doubt about God’s ability to sanctify us. This doubt becomes particularly pronounced when we witness the pervasive evil and abundance of sin surrounding us. We may even express the belief that God is incapable of countering evil, dismissing His existence as an old wives’ tale, and denying Him as the source of goodness and grace.
We are tempted to perceive ourselves as just and righteous by assuming that our state of being tainted by evil is the norm and our inherent nature. We refuse to acknowledge the reality of God’s grace and resist uniting our will with His power, thereby hindering Him from harvesting the beauty of human nature that He created with such generosity.
All human beings are part of the flock of the Good Shepherd. Everyone is called to experience the salvation of God. Everyone hears His voice, recognizing it as divine, yet not everyone responds positively to this invitation. Many of us refuse to heed the voice of our shepherd, who invites us to follow His commandment of love—a commandment that is perfect, refreshing, and protective. It offers us childlike trust and confidence, eternal wisdom, and the fulfillment of our desires, bringing happiness and sparking the light of joy in our eyes. It embodies pure and eternal holiness, immune to the degradation and taint of evil. In essence, it surpasses any created good (Psalm 19:7-10).
To avoid succumbing to temptation, Jesus taught us to become the servant of everyone. This may not align with the rule of law governing the world of evil, but the kingdom of our Father is not of this world. Following this commandment is not easy; we must teach ourselves, make it a habit to step out of this world, and act through divine power!
