I’ve lived in the desert twice in my life, once in Las Vegas and once out in the middle of nowhere at Edwards AFB in the Mojave.
Now, you may think I liked the big, happenin’ city more, but you’d be wrong. I preferred the desert far from civilization. Stuck out away from the modern world near a dry lake bed, life became very pared down. Family, Faith and friends were the main focuses of our lives because not much else could interfere.
Life was less noisy there…except when the sonic booms from the jets rocked your world. Any other time there was a stillness, a silence that gave a lot of clarity.
A few times while living there, I woke up before the sun and went up a hill in the desert and sat down to face the eastern horizon. In the utter quiet, I watched the sun slowly rise and wake up the world. It offered an excellent prayer time.
Today, we start Lent. We figuratively go out into the desert with Christ to gain more clarity and pare things down to what matters most. It is a chance to strip away a lot of the “noise” so as to better connect with Christ and gain a deeper appreciation for Easter.
I love this time of year, Catholic Pilgrims. I pray that this pilgrimage in our Lenten desert is an opportunity to grow closer to Christ for us all.
Have a blessed Ash Wednesday.
**Picture is of the desert around the Dead Sea.
