Lent

Today, we celebrate the Frist Sunday of Lent.The reading from the Gospel takes us to the time Jesus spent in the Desert.
Forty days of fasting were forty days of intense growth in prayer, attachment to God, of strengthening of His love of his Father and of deeepning the awaress of the nature of his mission.Jesus knwew that the ways of the world were not going to be His ways.
No role as a wonder worker, or as a ruler or as a person craving for popular appeal.It is going to be the way of love, of pure love, of laying down life.
In our own lives, thetemptaion will come very strongly to follow the ways of the world--to do popular things, to use all means to get rich, never to be forgivng or to be merciful.We may be urged to ignore the needs of the poor and the suffering.
Grand mansions and roles of authority will be attracting us.We will be told by our friends that suffering is a punishment and there is no value in being with the Lord.Religious life, according to the thinking of the world, is a sham.
Today on this day of Lent , let us resolve to avoid the ways of the world and follow the Lord on his path of love and compassion.