What is going on from Tunisia and Egypt to Wisconsin and across the world made me re-read the three temptations in Matthew 4.1–11 and Luke 4.1–13:

1. to change rock(s) into food (read: the miracles of an automated world) vs the multiplication of bread (read: the making and sharing of food, which responds to a broader need than the incorporation of molecules and is an ever-renewed occasion for human relations, giving and receiving).
2. worshipping of highly visible glory and authority over all the kingdoms of the world (read: global market controlled by a few interconnected companies and military projection capacity) vs serving transcendence (read: source of life, including the mostly invisible, therefore transcendental, self-giving of each other in a truly sharing society, beyond our grudgingly pacifying payments).
3. I’m stumped for the third one. I said in another post, after Gaston Bachelard, that the movement of the dreamy fall itself not only creates the abyss but reminds one of the verticality of things. Here we are, with the likes of governor Walker willing to walk to the edge of the abyss and taking all of us into division and strife. A kind of present to labor surely, but with a dose of poison. How will all of the social forces avoid suicidal dreams, and remember that there are peaceful ways to stay vertical?

Quoting Luke:

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.”

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you” and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone”.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”. ’ When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.