Led by the Spirit into the Desert
In the Gospel this weekend, we read, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil.”
This reminded me of my time in Egypt with an international group of priests who follow the spirituality of Charles de Foucauld, and we had the opportunity to spend a few days in the Monastery of St. Macarius the Great, Wadi El-Natroun. It is located on the desert road between Cairo and Alexandria.
St Macarius was a disciple of St Anthony, and this monastery was founded in the middle of 4th century. On one of the days I was there, I spent time alone in the desert area. As priests belonging to Jesus Caritas we are encouraged once a month to do a “day in the desert” when we find a quiet place in which we can find a degree of solitude to pray, meditate, write and open ourselves to God’s word. While I was sitting in the shade, a desert fox passed close. In my wanderings, I inadvertently walked onto the roof of a hermitage, much to the annoyance of the hermit monk.
As we begin this Lenten season, like Jesus, we are led by the Spirit into the desert. We now have an opportunity to spend time pondering where God is in our lives. We can create our own desert place by putting aside distractions that keep us inattentive. It is a time for us to be more attentive and be aware of our thirst for God. We begin our own 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving which orientate ourselves to God and his love for each one of us. Thus, we are able to reach out in love to others.
Lord I thank you for this time of Lent. May it be for me a time to look deeper into myself and discover how I can more authentically live out my mission in Christ.
Like the desert, whose beauty is not always obvious, I am invited to spend time pondering where you, Lord, might be in the desert places of my life. Give me the grace to put myself beyond my comfort zone and enter the desert, where I will see you more clearly if I am willing to look.
