The good people at The Tablet (our diocesan newspaper in Brooklyn) decided to find out.
The following is a homily generated by ChatGPT in response to The Tablet’s request to “Write me a Catholic homily on this week’s Gospel, Mt 4:1-11” for Feb. 26.
“Temptation of Jesus”
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
As we begin this season of Lent, we are called to reflect on the temptation of Jesus in the desert, as recounted in this week’s Gospel reading from Matthew (4:1-11). This passage reveals to us the profound humanity of our Lord and Savior, who faced the same temptations that we do, yet remained faithful to God’s will.
After his baptism in the Jordan, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. For forty days and forty nights, he fasted and prayed, preparing himself for his earthly ministry. At the end of this time, the devil approached him and offered him three temptations.
The first temptation was to turn stones into bread. The devil tried to appeal to Jesus’ hunger and his physical needs, but Jesus replied, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” This reminds us that our physical needs are important, but they are not the only things that sustain us. We must also nourish our souls with the Word of God.
The second temptation was to throw himself off the pinnacle of the temple, so that the angels would save him. The devil tried to tempt Jesus to test God’s love and protection. However, Jesus answered, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” This teaches us that we should not test God’s love or take his protection for granted. Rather, we should trust in him and have faith that he will always be with us.
And be afraid. Be very afraid.
