We each find ourself journeying through the desert during this Lenten season. The desert represents for us our spiritual life because in our spiritual life we are always on a journey where we are in search of the promised land. The Israelites left the land of their slavery, they crossed through the Red Sea, and then they journeyed into the desert until they were able to find the promised land. We too pass away from our slavery to sin when we passed through the waters of baptism and then we spend the rest of our life preparing ourself for the promised land that is the Heavenly Kingdom. We must enter into the desert with Christ during this Lenten season if we will ever hope to discover the promised land that the Israelites were in search of. The Book of Hosea tells us: "It is but love's stratagem, thus to lead her out into the desert; once there, it shall be all words of comfort."
To embrace the Lenten season to its full potential will of course be difficult, but once we do embrace this season in its totality we will find our comfort when we are able to rejoice with Christ who has conquered over death through the Resurrection. Our Gospel tells us that Christ was tempted while in the desert. We too will be tempted while we are in the season of Lent. We will be tempted to return to the ways of our life that make us comfortable, we will be tempted to indulge when we have set out to fast, we will be tempted into laziness which keeps us from doing anything out of the ordinary during this Lenten season, we will be tempted to be constantly trying out new things instead of staying steadfast with our original Lenten resolves, and will be tempted to just lose hope and give up. We cannot allow ourself to give into these temptations because these temptations want to do nothing more then keep us from the comfort that is found in the Promised Land of the Heavenly Kingdom.
Through Lent we realize that we have been baptized and yet we don't always live up to what was begun in us at our baptism. Practices such as fasting, the giving of alms, and praying are most important because these practices force us to detach ourself from sin and thus to truly be drawn into a relationship with God. Each sin that we might struggle with does have an opposite: Humility against pride, Kindness against envy, Abstinence against gluttony, Chastity against lust, Patience against anger, Liberality against greed, and Diligence against sloth. We should therefore ask ourself how we can begin to practice these virtues during Lent in order that we in good time may find the Promised Land of the Heavenly Kingdom. To give up candy just because does not get to the heart of preparing ourself for this reality. Instead to give up candy for the sake of putting to death my disordered passion of gluttony does.
As we are tempted not only during this season of Lent, but also during our whole life which is spent in search of the Promised Land we must also remember the second statement that was made in our Gospel. We were told that the Angels ministered to Him. This is important for us to remember because the Angels are also ministering to us. They desire us to be successful and to find our way to the Promised Land. We cannot endure this journey through the desert on our own because this path is a most difficult one to follow, but we are thankfully assisted along this path by all the Angels and Saints of Heaven. May we truly remain open to their intercession and aid especially at those moments where it seems that we will never win the good fight against sin. We cannot give into these temptations because the Angels are present to minister to us and they desire us to endure on that path that which leads to the Promised Land.
Therefore may we truly take this Lenten season most seriously. Lent causes us to remember our baptism and thus also the many ways where we have failed to continue to live out what was begun in us there. It is for this reason that we enter into the desert for this forty day period. Here we will do penance and bring back to life that which has been infected by sin. Please remember the Sacrament of Confession during this season and return yourself to Christ's mercy that is found here. This is the greatest way that an individual can begin to reorient themselves in their search for the Promised Land. Also, find a good book of spiritual value and read it. We fill our mind with so much wordily things that it is easy to fail to fill our mind of anything of spiritual value. Lastly, take to heart the need to fast, pray, and give alms because it will only be in this manner where we will be able to gain mastery over ourself and thus to let go of all that which leads us away from entering into the Promised Land that is the Heavenly Kingdom.
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