Transcript
Edmund: Back in 2021, Pope Francis made a comment approving a revision to the Italian translation of the Lord’s Prayer. And he had a really interesting reason for this, related to the last two petitions of this prayer Jesus taught us.
Emily: The first three petitions relate to God’s name, Kingdom, and will. And in the last four petitions, we pray for our physical and spiritual needs. So, the last two petitions are “Lead us not into temptation,” and “Deliver us from evil.”
Edmund: Exactly. And Pope Francis wanted to make sure that we really understood what Jesus is teaching us in these petitions. He approved a revision to the phrase “Lead us not into temptation,” replacing it with “Do not let us fall into temptation.” His point was to clarify that God doesn’t lead people into temptation. It’s Satan, the Evil One, who leads us into this temptation!
The Pope didn’t actually impose a new translation of the Lord’s prayer on the entire world. It was more a comment highlighting the fact that some translations don’t capture the full meaning.
Emily: That makes sense. But if Jesus was tempted in the desert, and it says that the Holy Spirit led Him out into the wilderness where He was tempted,… then didn’t God “lead” Jesus into temptation?
Edmund: The Holy Spirit led Jesus out into the wilderness to pray, to be close to God, and to experience trials. The Catechism highlights this point by explaining in paragraph 2847 “The Holy Spirit makes us discern between trials, which are necessary for the growth of the inner man, and temptation, which leads to sin and death. We must also discern between being tempted and consenting to temptation.”
Emily: This is what’s really important about these petitions. God, as a loving Father, doesn’t lead us into temptation. He wants to protect us from temptation, but not just that, He also wants us to learn how to deal with temptation the way Jesus does.
Edmund: Right, and this makes sense because we all experience trials in our life, which are opportunities to grow in obedience and reliance on God. But we shouldn’t mistake these trials with temptations. Or with our own decision to put ourselves in situations where we might experience temptation.
Emily: It’s important here to make sure we understand the word “temptation.” “Temptation” is an attraction to sin that arises either inside ourselves— because of the effects of original sin— or from the outside, as a test or trial. We all desire goodness and happiness, and we all try to choose things that bring us happiness. But we are also tempted to misuse our freedom and choose sin, thinking it will bring us happiness.
Edmund: And the way the devil tempts us is by trying to convince us that choosing sin will bring us happiness. The Catechism explains that by asking God for help to avoid temptation and to be delivered from evil, we are reminded of our need for discernment. We need to discern between things that seem good—and true goodness—if we are to overcome temptation.
Emily: So it makes sense that the Catechism would call temptation part of the “battle of holiness.” It requires prayerful discernment and God’s grace, and involves a decision of the heart. Jesus is teaching us that temptation is a reality we will experience in a world that has fallen into sin. So we need help discerning when God is leading us into a trial versus when we are just consenting to a temptation.
Edmund: We pray the last petition: “Deliver us from evil,” which Jesus prayed for specifically. We pray together as the family of God—the Church—to be delivered from evil completely. And Jesus is speaking not just of evil as an abstract idea, but the person of Satan, the Evil One.
Emily: Satan is a liar and the father of lies. And once we give into temptation through these lies, we see the consequences: destruction, betrayal, and even murder. Through the lies of Satan, sin and death entered into the world. In this final petition we look forward to Jesus’ final victory, which began with His victory on the Cross, the ultimate Truth which “delivers us from evil.”
Edmund: Jesus accomplished victory and our deliverance from the evil one through His Passion, death, and Resurrection. Therefore, we pray in the Spirit and with the Church: “Come, Lord Jesus,” since His coming will deliver us from the Evil One.
Emily: Because even though we may face trials, temptations, sin, and death—even the Evil One—we do not face these alone. Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer to ask our Father for the grace and strength we need to join Him in His victory over temptation, sin, and evil. Because we battle temptation, sin, and evil, with Jesus through prayer.
