The old songs may be the best songs, but you can't always believe them. I have in mind, particularly, that mountain spiritual, "Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley." The first part of it is true enough.

Jesus walked this lonesome valley,
Had to walk it by himself.
Oh, nobody else could walk it for him;
He had to walk it by himself.

Those lines could almost describe what we heard in the Gospel reading for today - the story of Jesus alone in the wilderness, enduring the temptations of the devil.

It is with the last part of the spiritual that I have my disagreement. You probably remember how it goes:

You must go and stand your trial,
Have to stand it by yourself.
Oh, nobody else can stand it for you;
You have to stand it by yourself.

The good news is just the opposite; the good news is, be…