Into the Wilderness—To Pray; To Rely; To Die. (Lent Part One)

We're kind of tired of mediocre Lents. You?

This Lent, we're going for it: into the wilderness. Accepting God's invitation into the desert, with all its dangers and hazards and risks.

Why does a loving Father, through a loving Church, invite us into a wild unknown?

Because it's not unknown… to him. He's the one who initiates the invite every time.

Jesus' journey into the desert began immediately after his baptism—after receiving his anointing and identity from the Father. He goes into the desert for us; truly, he doesn't need reminders of who he is. But he goes, and he's tempted. He struggles. He's hungry. And it's in this experience—as he responds to temptations with the truth of who he is and who the Father is—that Jesus receives his identity in a deeper way.

We can have that desert experience, too. In the wilderness, the Father creates a sacred place to more deeply give each person his or her identity; for him or her to receive it over and over again.

This journey often means leaving what's comfortable and not being afraid to suffer. After all, the desert can be dangerous… if you go alone. If you're standing at the edge of the desert, feeling a nudge to go for it: beg for the courage to go. God is waiting for you there.

Want to see some beautiful photos from the wilderness? Check out www.franciscanfriars.com/pocoapoco