The “mind of Christ” is displayed most clearly in Jesus’ conversation with Satan after forty days of fasting in the wilderness. It is there that logic and persuasion are employed by Satan in order to sway Jesus to transfer his loyalties to himself. The powerful tool the enemy uses is the Scripture itself, and Jesus responds in Scripture. It is a wonderful display of the mind of Christ in opposition to the mind of Satan, but more importantly it is a window for us of the mind of Christ: “It is written that man shall not live on bread alone,” and, “It is also written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test,’ and “For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”

The “mind of Christ” that Paul tells us belongs to all Christians (1 Corinthians 2:16), is full of the Word of God in Scripture. It is Scripture that Jesus resorts to when he is alone and weak and hungry. Scripture fills his mind and provides him with the strength he needs to fend off Satan. It is the priceless gift of the written Word of God that is the “mind” we can share with the son of God.

The Scriptures have never been more accessible than they are today, and perhaps they’ve never been more neglected. Pope St. John Paul II wrote: “ Yes, the heart is to be a library of the Word of God, uttered in the Scriptures.” (In God’s Hands, the Spiritual Diaries, Pg. 172).

In Christ both his heart and mind feed his spirit through the scriptures. The Scriptures ground him in his ministry as they form the framework for his appearance among the Hebrew people. Jesus quotes Scripture even on the cross. (Ps. 22:1, Ps. 31:5)

Lent is the time to draw close to Jesus by reading Scripture, sampling the passages we love, reading and re-reading the Psalms to drink in the written word. As Holy Week draws near we can re-visit the events of the crucifixion as all four gospels give us accounts. When we try daily Bible reading we find that our Lord wants it of us even more than we do. Scripture is a strong link to our God, and it is written for us.

Love in Him,

Prue