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How long did Jesus fast for?

He fasted for forty days and forty nights and afterwards was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.

marquette.edu - The First Sunday of Lent: Jesus is tempted in the desert

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The First Sunday of Lent: Jesus is tempted in the desert

One commentator on the Scriptures suggested that this experience of Jesus being tempted would not have been included in the accounts of his life and ministry unless Jesus revealed this to some of his followers. He is portrayed as vulnerable to the deceits of Satan. Why would Jesus go into the desert for a forty day retreat after his baptism? It is the same reason why people go on retreat: to refocus on who they are, where they are going and how to get there. One’s perspective about life gets blurred by all the noise and hyperactivity of life. Jesus needed time to understand the revelation of his identity given by the voices of his Father at his baptism: “You are my beloved Son, my favor rests on you.”

Matthew 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights and afterwards was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread. He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city and made him stand on the parapet of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, you shall not put the Lord, your God to the test.” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain and he showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” Then the devil left him, and behold angels came and ministered to him.

Reflection from the Preface of the Mass:

His fast of forty days makes this a holy season of self-denial. By rejecting the devil’s temptations he has taught us to rid ourselves of the hidden corruption of evil, and so to share his paschal meal in purity of heart, until we come to its fulfillment in the promised land of heaven.

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