In scripture, the wilderness is a place of danger and trial. It’s a place where people encounter harsh challenges and a place where they also encounter God. In this week’s passage from Mark, we find that after he was baptized, the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days where he was tempted by Satan, encountered wild beasts, and was cared for by angels. Afterward, he left the wilderness and began proclaiming the good news of God. It seems that Jesus emerged from his testing in the wilderness with a clear sense of his task.
Each year at the start of Lent, we read about Jesus’ time in the wilderness as he begins his work. The stories of Jesus tempted in the wilderness for 40 days shape our own 40 days of Lent. As we move toward Easter where we will celebrate Jesus rising from the dead, we consider our own mortality and human limits. We notice the many ways God invites us into God’s loving transformation of people and communities and all creation. Love, compassion, generosity, forgiveness: these are all parts of how God intends humans to live with each other. Of course, we also see that there are many things tempting us to ignore God’s invitation. No matter what you may have heard, Lent is not a time to simply judge ourselves and feel bad that we have human impulses to ignore the needs of others or deny the very real challenges we face. Lent is a time to remember that God loves us and knows our shortcomings, and still invites us to help change the world. Lent is a time to move closer to God, discovering ways to love our neighbor and care for all creation.
The traditional practices of Lent are praying, fasting and giving. Sometimes people carve out intentional time to pray in Lent, talking to God about needs they see in others and themselves and the wider world. Sometimes people set aside something in Lent, using the time or resources they might spend on themselves in ways that deepens their connection with God. Sometimes people to share with others who are in need, living out God’s invitation to notice and help vulnerable people.
As we pray, fast, and give through Lent, our connection to God and God’s love for us and the whole world deepens. Like Jesus, we will encounter our own temptations and dangers, while receiving loving care from God. May we emerge with a clearer sense of our task following Jesus, and the realization that we are part of how God is transforming the world.
Peace,
weekly prayer | Jesus baptized then in the wilderness in Mark 1