The human heart can never change unless it feels it is loved, infinitely loved, and unless it consents to this Love . . . which can deliver it. Jean-Yves Leloup
East of Jerusalem and the Jordan River, the desert is very bleak. Today the river separates Israel from the country of Jordan. The hilly country is barren of most life. It is truly desolate. Near the Jordan River, on the side of a cliff, hangs a monastery where monks still live and pray. The area is not far from where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the 1940’s.
We recall the Exodus of the ancient Jews from slavery in Egypt, through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. Jesus was aware of the history of the Jews, and he knew that Judea was the Promised Land that had been given to the Jews, the People of God. He understood that the people of Exodus had crossed the Jordan River from the Sinai desert into the Promised Land somewhere near to where John was baptizing. The crossing of the Jordan into Israel marked the end of their long Exodus journey which they celebrate at Passover.
For the Jews, the desert was where God made covenant with Moses and spoke to his people. It was the place of passage from slavery, oppression, injustice, and the forces of destruction – toward blessing, freedom, and new life. It was in the desert where God gave strength, manna, to a people of journey, so they could endure their hardship. It was also where the demons, the evil spirits lived.
After his baptism by John in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit compels Jesus into the desert. There, Jesus is confronted with how to initiate the Reign of God and restore Israel as the Chosen People of God. Jesus entered his own Exodus experience of 40 days. He wrestled with how God was calling him to be Messiah, the long-awaited Christ. It was a time of discernment and commitment.
In the desert Jesus struggled with his questions - How was he to gather and restore a repentant Israel to be People of God and a light to the nations? Was God with him? Will his Father feed him in the desert as God fed the Israelites with manna? Did he need to make alliance with the Roman authorities and Jewish Temple authorities in a cooperative venture to bring about the Reign of God? Should he force God’s hand to show marvelous miracles? Was he to be a new Moses leading his people to freedom, like the Moses of Exodus? Should he embrace a life of power and status, rather than the life of humble service to others? Perhaps he sensed the people of Israel, the Romans, and religious leaders would reject his efforts, and all would not go well for him.
After a lengthy period of struggle and wrestling, he came to peace about his mission. And the angels came and ministered to him. He knows he is loved, infinitely loved, by his Father. He understands how he will be the Christ, the Messiah, regardless of the consequences. He will forsake a life of power, security, and status. He will walk humbly among the broken, the poor, the sinner, the forgotten, the outcast – among ordinary people – inviting, healing, teaching, challenging, forgiving, and loving. He will be love among the weak and broken. He will be God’s love. In this way he would initiate the Reign of God and renew the people of Israel as the true People of God and light to the nations.
From the desert, Jesus is now ready to wholeheartedly give himself to his mission. He leaves the desert with his eyes wide open. He crosses back over the Jordan River, re-enters the Promised Land, returns to Galilee, and begins his ministry.
In the season of Lent, catechumens are preparing to enter the Church. The Lenten season is not merely time for learning more about the Church. But it is a time for them to wrestle with and discern how they will live out their Christian faith. As Christ wrestled with and discerned his direction, so must catechumens, and we ourselves, wrestle with and discern how we will live our Christian faith today.
What demons do we need to resist? What changes in direction do we need to make? How are we being challenged this year? What specific gun laws need to be changed to keep our children safer? How do we help the broken children of our own community, so they don’t act out violently? Do we keep our children in day-care or does one parent stay at home? Does our family need to have more sit-down meals together, so we can better understand and love each other? Is our search for wealth and security at odds with the gospel and our Christian faith? Are we and our different parish groups dividing the parish or bringing it together in unity? How can we better love and affirm the transgender youth? Is my criticism of the Church based on pride and ignorance rather than a deep knowledge? Am I so attached to my friends and peer group that I cannot courageously embrace the way of Christ? Do I fill my life with so many distractions that I don’t have time for quiet, prayer, reflection, and discernment?
In many ways we are afraid to let the Holy Spirit lead us into the wilderness, into solitude and honest reflection. We resist embracing those times and moments of desert – where we are invited to wrestle with and discern better directions for our lives and the lives of others. We resist the gift of Lent.
What happened to Jesus happens to us Christians. We too need to wrestle with and discern our mid-course corrections if we are to be faithful followers of Christ. The Church gives us the season of Lent to do this.
In our celebration of Eucharist, in our prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, in our private prayer at home, Jesus reminds us we are loved, infinitely loved.
Will we let this time of Lent pass by? Or will we courageously join the wrestling match to confront our demons? Will we do this for our own growth and for the good of others? Will we do so for the glory of God? Will we come to know we are loved, infinitely loved by Love?