The pope pointed to the Gospel of Matthew to offer advice for how to overcome the three types of temptations, as Jesus did when he was tempted by the devil after 40 days of fasting in the desert.
“Jesus defeats the temptations. But how does he conquer them? By avoiding discussion with the devil and responding with the Word of God,” he said.
Pope Francis explained that Jesus resisted the devil “by opposing him in faith with the Divine Word.”
To counteract the temptations of attachment to material things, mistrust, and the thirst for power, Jesus quotes three phrases from Scripture that speak of freedom from goods, trust, and service to God.
“In this way, Jesus teaches us to defend unity with God and among ourselves from the attacks of the divider,” he said.
The pope encouraged people to turn to the Word of God in their spiritual struggles and in times of temptation.
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