Collect: "Grant, almighty God, through the observance of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects."
The first reading is from the Book of Deuteronomy 26:4-10
The Responsorial Psalm: "Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble." Verses from Psalm 9
The second reading is from the Letter of Paul to the Romans" 10: 8-13
The Gospel is from Luke 4: 1-10 and is the story of Jesus being tempted in the desert.
Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He must have told his disciples about this experience. He spent forty days there and that is why we have forty days of Lent. I do remember a Jesuit telling us when I was only 13 during my first retreat at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in St. Charles, that forty days was just long enough to really change. He asked us to say the prayer of St. Ignatius that begins, "Lord, teach me to be generous ..." for the forty days after the retreat. I began to think a bit about vocation in that retreat. Since we were boarders, we entered into retreat on Monday night and came out only on Friday morning. We kept perfect silence. That was quite an experience!
Maybe we need to think what the Spirit is asking of us for these forty days. If the Holy Spirit is leading us into this "desert" of Lent, we will have the grace to keep trying to keep whatever resolution we are inspired to take.
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