Today’s first and third readings talk about the people of Israel’s wandering in the desert for forty years before they finally enter the Promised Land.  Moses spoke to the people, saying,   “God ordained that desert journey to test you by affliction and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments.”  The reading from Deuteronomy emphasizes the fact that it was God’s grace that brought Israel safely through that time of destiny to the land flowing with milk and honey.

In the Gospel from Luke, Jesus spends forty days in the desert, where he too is tested.  Through the temptations in the desert, Jesus is brought to a life-or-death awareness of the absolute privacy of his union with the Father.  Jesus undergoes those temptations as an example to us, so that we also can embrace his own convictions.  The Lord enriches all who call upon him by drawing them to share his union of love with the Father.

As we enter into the season of Lent, scripture reminds us that the Lord will see all our afflictions as moments of grace moving us to call on the Lord in our powerlessness and weakness so that we can embrace our own convictions that God is with us at all times.

The symbols used for this Holy season are the purple vestments and the small container of ashes to remind each of us to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.