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My Dear friends last week we began the Holy Season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Our message was that of Repentance. As we came forward we heard the same words Repent and Believe in the Gospel. In fact our altar banner suggests those same words. With Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of the Season of Lent, Today we celebrate the 1 st Sunday Of Lent.
Lent by its very nature is a desert time. Jesus is led by the Spirit into the Desert, where he is going will be fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. And the Devil is going to tempt him.
DYNAMICS OF LIVING IN A DESERT
We all can relate very well with the desert.
When people heard that I was coming to live in Arizona some told me to drink a lot of water, you could easily be dehydrated easily.
Rattle Snakes – Careful with the Snakes – I am terrified to death about snakes. I saw them all the time. Hiking and Living in St. Mark Parish.
Scorpions – check your bed before you go in.
Havolina- some of them can be mean when they have babies.
We know that there is some beauty associated with living in the desert besides rattle snakes, Havolina, Coyotes, scorpions, drinking a lot of water, staying Hydrated.
DESERT IS A PLACE OF ENCOUNTER WITH GOD
But the desert is also a place of Prayer that is why the Spirit of God drove Jesus to prepare for the Great Mission ahead- which was ultimately going to end in his crucifixion, Suffering, death for our sake; that we might become the righteousness of God.
When we have great tasks ahead we need to go to the desert.- When you have a great task ahead- Go to the desert.
- Your marriage is not where it should be, go to the Desert; go to God in prayer.
- Your spiritual life is not in the right place, go to the Desert; go to God in prayer.
- Having trouble forgiving someone, go to the Desert. Go to God in Prayer.
MY DESERT EXPERIENCE
I visited the Black Canyon City to celebrate my One year anniversary as a priest. I am talking about Merciful Heart Hermitages in the Desert, in the middle of nowhere and there were about 4 Cabins.- I felt God assuring me of his presence
- I felt God asking me to NOT BE AFRAID.
- I felt God Opening Doors for me.
- Inviting me into intimacy with him,
- Asking me to forgive those who had offended me.
To facilitate my encounter with the Lord my retreat Director asked me to suspend my Cell phone use.
During this season of Lent the Lord is inviting all of us to go to the desert- it might not mean a physical desert. A desert is a place of encounter- where do we encounter the Lord. What is that place of encounter look like?
PRAYER
We encounter the Lord in prayer and this is precisely why on the 1 st Sunday of Lent, the Church presents to us this commendable, remarkable example of Jesus going to the Desert and Pray.
What is prayer; it is an honest communication among friends. It is our Friendship with God now expressed in this lively conversation.
I know this might sound a little bit ELEMENTARY but TAKE THE TIME TO PRAY- But it is an important step.
Our lives are very busy; we are about many things, -- For others prayer might be 1st thing in the morning or last thing at night.
- May be in the Car; my rosary time
- In the Confessional- nobody knows am there except Mary Jane Our Sacristan and Lorne our Maintenance staff.
So take the time to pray.- Start saying the Rosary everyday during Lent,
- Go to Confession,
- Pray the prayer to St. Michael,
- Attend Stations of the Cross/ Mass on Friday.
JESUS (son of God) was tempted by the devil- we too will have temptations
Be calm but vigilant because your opponent the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion.
