Gospel: Luke 4:1-13
The desert is a special place of purification. It is more than symbolic. It is a place where all distractions fall away and we come face to face with our deepest selves and our deepest desires. Jesus’ experience of the desert was the same. It was not a time of deprivation but of preparation. He was stripped of everything in order to focus on God’s will. John of the Cross teaches us that to gain everything, we must first desire absolutely nothing. It is precisely this that Jesus found in his desert experience. He stepped into the desert with no expectations save that of discovering the Father’s will. It is precisely because of this that Jesus was able to stand strong in the face of the devil’s temptations.
The season of Lent calls us to this same desert experience. It is a time to let go of all that holds us back and seek only the mind of God. It calls us to ask a couple of critical questions:
For further reflection enjoy this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfH9j-TLg3U
Blessings!
Sister Danielle Jacob, CSFN
