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It’s amazing to me how quickly technology changes. Even as late as college, I remember walking downtown to the local Blockbuster to rent the latest flick.

But nowadays people just use their smart tv’s. Some children haven’t known life without Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Netflix.

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Last year, one of the most popular television shows was the HBO special, Game of Thrones.

It was a twisted series involving numerous battles and betrayals as people risked their lives to be crowned ruler of the seven kingdoms.

Nearly 20 million people tuned in to watch the show’s final episode.

Since, some people – I’d call them “superfans” – have even made pilgrimages to the places where the show was filmed, including Iceland and Croatia.

I suppose being “on site” makes the show feel all the more real.

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As captivating as that show may be, the real game of thrones takes place in today’s Gospel. 

This is no fantasy.

Two real beings are vying for power: It’s the kingdom of God versus the kingdom of darkness, Jesus versus Satan.

Place your bets and take your side, because the stakes cannot be any higher: the winner determines the course of human history. 

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Just as “super-fans” visit the sites where “Game of Thrones” was filmed, so Christians visit the very mountain where Jesus was tempted by Satan.

I’ve been blessed to see it myself. 

Standing in the desert on that dusty red mountain draws you right into the action, reminding you that this battle between good and evil still takes place inside every human heart.

And ironically enough, the mountain itself is filled with temptations.

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For example, upon arriving at the base, we must decide whether we will climb the mountain like Jesus did…

Or avoid the desert heat, pay a small fee, and ride the air-conditioned gondola to the top?

Most people take the gondola.

Temptation number one: taking the easy way out this Lent.

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After coolly coasting to the summit, we’re faced with yet another temptation: to pray or not to pray.

Sitting here, I’m sure we’d all say we’d find a quiet place to pray; we’re standing on holy ground! 

But things change once you reach the top, because you’re surrounded by other pilgrims anxious to squeeze in a selfie. After all, the surrounding views are stunning.

Most pilgrims give in, turn their cell phones around, snap a pic and post it on Instagram with a hashtag like, #GameOfThrones…or #JesusWasHere.

Temptation number two: getting distracted, forgetting to pray this Lent.

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Now heaven forbid we break a sweat. It’s hot up here! 

Before we get burned, then, we can ride that air-conditioned gondola right back down the mountain, where we’re faced with a final temptation…

To fast or not to fast.

Although Jesus fasted in this very spot for 40 days and 40 nights, he didn’t have a buffet -style restaurant appropriately called Temptation waiting for him at the bottom of the mountain.

But we do.

How can anyone resist endless amounts of lamb kabobs and hummus after such a long day spent in the sun? It’s time to celebrate.

Temptation number three: neglecting to fast this Lent.

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Though we may not find ourselves in the Holy Land this Lent, we’ll still face our share of temptations. 

We must decide whether we will take the air-conditioned gondola up the mountain, so to speak, or climb the mountain with Jesus. 

Will we be disciplined, fasting like Jesus did, praying like Jesus did, being generous like Jesus was?

Or will the busyness of life take over, distracting us from real spiritual growth?

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This is the true game of thrones – the battle between good and evil, a battle that’s unfolding inside our very own hearts. But only we can decide who will be crowned as king.

Over the next 40 days, our actions will speak for themselves, revealing who our master is.

Time to start climbing; the battle has begun.

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Any couple that’s been married for many years can look back and tell you about the joy that marriage brings. 

There’s the proposal; the wedding day; the birth of children; anniversaries; and the promise that someone is always at home waiting for you.

Marriage is meant to be a joyful thing.

But, at times, it can also be quite stressful. 

Simply planning your life around another person is hard. Then there’s the possibility of financial stress, emotional distance, careers taking center stage, raising children, and unexpected grief.

Most marriages are a mixed bag; there are natural highs and lows.

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The same is true in the spiritual life.

In the Gospel, for example, Jesus refers to himself as the “bridegroom,” meaning being around him brings the same type of joy that being at a wedding brings.

But in the very next verse, he warns his disciples that the “bridegroom” will be taken away from them.

The disciples should not only accept the high of knowing him, but also the low that will come with his death.

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Depending on how you look at it, Lent can be a high or a low for us. It’s a rigorous season, one that demands increased prayer, fasting, and generosity.

But Jesus asks us today, much as he asked his disciples, “Will you accept both Christian joy – and the Christian cross?”

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Like a marriage, they’re both a part of life.

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I’m amazed at how quickly technology moves. Gone are the days of Blockbuster, for example. People now use smart tv’s to tune into Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.

The same is true with music. Nine times out of ten while driving, I listen to music I’ve downloaded on iTunes, not the radio.

Tuning into the radio demands patience, as you literally have to turn a knob to the left or the right until you find the right station.

One turn too far creates static, muffling the music.

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Isn’t that what Lent is all about? Making adjustments, fine tuning, searching for the voice of the Lord, much like finding a station on the radio?

So what adjustments do we need to make in order to hear his voice clearly this Lent?

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Maybe we need to dial down time spent on our phones, turning up time spent in prayer.

Maybe it means dialing down our portions at meals, turning up our awareness of the poor.

Maybe it means dialing down our need to be heard, fine tuning our listening skills instead.

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Just as we expect to hear a musician’s voice when tuning into the radio, so we should expect to hear the Lord this Lent. 

It’s just a matter of making the right adjustments; of tuning out – and tuning in.