Forty is used to symbolize a time of testing, purification, and trial. The rain during the Great Flood lasted forty days and forty nights. Each time Moses went up Mount Sinai, he remained there for forty days and nights. The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples for forty days before ascending into Heaven. Interestingly, forty is even significant within human nature, in that we develop within our mother’s womb for forty weeks before being born.

Our Lord spent forty days and forty nights in the desert being tempted by the devil while He fasted and prayed. Thus, it should also be seen as a symbol of our entire life here on earth. The wording not only symbolizes our entire lives, but the “days” represent the many graces and blessings we sometimes receive, while the “nights” represent the crosses we sometimes endure.

First, we see that Jesus not only endured temptation, but he also confronted it. We must never be afraid to confront and reject temptations directly and confidently when the Holy Spirit is in the lead.

A second important lesson is that Jesus voluntarily fasted during this time in the desert. This illustrates the importance of the virtue of temperance in our life. As Jesus, when we choose, we should not consider only to the need of the moment (I am hungry…) but mainly from the perspective of the past time (does it fit with my commitments as a Christian?) and the time to come (and then what?).

Today’s challenge: Set yourself free from that bad sentiment, resentment, or envy towards that person. Forgive and forget.