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VI. ‘And Lead Us Not into
Temptation’ 2846 This petition goes to the root of the
preceding one, for our sins result from our consenting to
temptation; we therefore ask
the Greek verb used by a single English
word: the Greek means both ‘do not allow us to enter
into temptation’, and ‘do not let us yield to
temptation’.’5° ‘God cannot be tempted
by evil and he himself tempts no one’;’5’ on
the contrary, he wants to set us free from evil. We ask him
not to allow us to take the way that leads to
petition implores the Spirit of discernment
and strength. 2847 The Holy Spirit
makes us discern between trials, which are necessary
for the growth of the inner man,1S2 and temptation, which
leads to sin and death.’53 We must also discern between
cernment unmasks the lie of temptation,
whose object appears to be good, a ‘delight to the
eyes’ and desirable,’54 when in reality its fruit
is death. God does not want to impose
the good, but wants free beings.. . There is a certain
usefulness to temptation. No one but God knows what our soul
has received from him, not even we ourselves. But temptation
reveals it in order to teach us to know ourselves, and in
this way we discover our evil inclinations and are
obliged to give thanks for the goods that temptation has
revealed to us.’55 2848
‘Lead us not into temptation’ implies a decision
of the heart: ‘For where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also.. . No one
can serve two masters.”~6 ‘If we live by the
Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”57 In this
assent to the Holy Spirit the Father gives us
man. God is faithful, and he will not let
you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation
will also provide the way of escape, so that you may be
able to endure it.”58
through prayer. It is by his prayer that
Jesus vanquishes the Tempter, both at the outset of his
public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his
agony.’59 In this petition to our heavenly Father, |
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