‘Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil’ – This is how Mattew describes the fasting place of Jesus in his Gospel. A similar description can be found in the Gospels of Luke and Mark. It is said that whether Jesus fasted in the desert or not in the desert.
Scripture does not give a definite answer as to where Jesus fasted. Except in the vicinity of the Jordan River. Remos refers to the place where Jesus fasted in Greek. It means an isolated uninhabitable place. However, in local traditions, it is said that Jesus spent his time in prayer at the top of the hill. So today that mountain near the Jordan River is known as the Mount of Temptation. Knowledge of this region will help us to delve deeper into the spirit of fasting.
The Mount of Temptation is a mountain that is very difficult to climb with its precipitous cliffs. Jesus fasted on that uninhabited mountain. It was a place where Jesus found himself away from all the hustle and bustle around him in the world. After the death of Jesus, many monks and ascetics started living on this mountain with many caves. This place was chosen by those who wanted to be one with God, leaving themselves entirely to prayer.
Soon a monastery was built in the low hills and many monks were there in prayer and fasting. They firmly believed that Jesus was fasting on this mountain. This is the place where Jesus chose to stay away from all the comforts of the world during his days of fasting and experimentation, which is considered to be the place where Iso experimented in the desert.
This desolation reminds us that fasting is an opportunity to get closer to God by giving up all the comforts and conveniences of the world. During this Lent, let us continue to experience the desert of seeking God in silence, away from the hustle and bustle of the modern world, the overuse of the media, and the journey to our own pleasures and comforts.