Lead us not into temptation …

Whom do you follow?

Thinking about the words of Our Lord’s Prayer I was drawn to the line ‘lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil’. As humans we are drawn to those who have the capacity to lead. In ancient times we followed leaders into battle, today we follow leaders into a way of life. We are surrounded by temptation, but it is only a temptation when we believe in a moral code. If we have no moral code then it is all about the pleasure of the here and now for the individual. Temptation only exists if something can be deemed wrong. This suggests that there are things that are not right even if we desire them, and can get away with it. Temptation suggests pleasure – so why is it that pleasure can be wrong?

Pleasure should not minimise the worth of a human person. Isn’t this the benchmark for what is ok that we do not take away from our dignity or the dignity of another person? So why is it that some find pleasure in things that take away another persons dignity? A bit mind-blowing to be sure. But the words – lead us not … So there are some charismatic individuals that we really want to follow that take us down a path where our innate human dignity is not honoured. This line is then followed with ‘but deliver us from evil’ is sobering. That our enamoured following of someone with charisma can lead us to evil is frightening. I cannot believe that anyone really wants to be evil, rather it is a journey down a path or across a river that gets us to the point of ‘no return’. Surely we cannot want to be evil? But then there are those who experience evil.

No-one deserves to be on the receiving end of evil. No-one. Unfortunately, with free-will I do not see how evil can be removed from the world as people fall prey to temptation and journey down a path that is un-imaginable. Human frailty leads to evil and evil leads to suffering, but human courage leads to kindness and justice. We are complex beings indeed. We need to choose early to stay on a path that does not lead to evil. We may fall into temptation but we really need to get back to what we know is good as quickly as we can. It is this time, I think, that matters, that makes the difference, for time leads to apathy, and apathy kills.

Let us follow those who lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from bringing evil to others and suffering evil at the hands of our brethren. May we all be kept safe.