“The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.” ( Mark 1:12-13 NLT)
Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to enter the isolation of the desert and fast for forty days. He faced the wilderness outside and the dryness inside of Him. He depended on the angels to take care of His needs.
“Lent invites us to stop eating whatever protects us from having to face the desert that is inside of us. It invites us to feel our smallness, to feel our vulnerability, to feel our fears, and to open ourselves up to the chaos of the desert so that we can finally give the angels a chance to feed us.” (Ron Rolheiser)
Facing our internal wilderness is unpleasant and complicated. We would rather not open up that can of repressed emotions. There are a myriad of ways to numb or distract ourselves: food, alcohol, drugs, technology, socializing, diversions, etc. We use these pacifiers to soothe and draw our attention away from the emptiness and pain we feel in our souls. Lent invites us to face the chaos, to abstain from distractions long enough to shine the spotlight inwards. It gives us a chance to admit we are powerless, vulnerable, and afraid. Once we are aware of our need for healing, we can rely on God to minister to us through His angels.
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