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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me push away temptations! Amen.

Jesus went into the desert for 40 days with no food. The devil came and said, "If you're God, turn the rocks into bread." Jesus said, "Bread isn't all that keeps you alive. God does, too." The devil took Jesus to the top of a building and said, "Jump. If you're God, angels will catch you." "Don't test God," Jesus answered. The devil showed Jesus the world and said, "I'll give you this if you worship me." "Worship only God," Jesus answered. "Go away!" So the devil left Jesus alone.

The movie "Home Alone" is on TV all the time. It's about a boy who gets left behind when his family goes on vacation. He eats junk food, jumps on the bed and takes his brother's money for pizza - but, later, he gets lonely and scared and wants his family back.

This week's Gospel (Matthew 4:1-11) could be about "Home Alone." Jesus has gone into the desert alone to pray and get ready to start teaching about God. There are all kinds of temptations, though:

* The devil reminds Jesus that He's hungry, like a kid wanting junk food.

* The devil reminds Jesus that He can do anything He wants, like a kid jumping on the bed. Jesus could even jump off a building safely!

* The devil reminds Jesus that He could have all the power He wants, like a kid with no adults to make rules. Jesus could even take over the world!

The Gospel story ends the same way "Home Alone" does: Jesus wants to stay close to God the Father like a kid wants a family. Junk food and power aren't worth being all alone in the world.

Temptations will always be around, but God is bigger than all of them - and with God, you're never "home alone."[[In-content Ad]]

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