PREPARING FOR THE DESERT JOURNEY

Karen Dill, Spiritual Director

With Epiphany behind us, we find ourselves at the threshold of the liturgical season of Lent. In just a few more days, I will have already received the ashes on Ash Wednesday to remind me that I am dust, and to dust I shall return. I think of the many times I have practiced this ritual, always reverently, always with the intention of experiencing this yearly season wholeheartedly. I always intend to “give up” something superfluous in my life that is keeping me from a closer walk with Jesus. Often it is food: desserts, alcohol, chocolate, meat on Fridays, all manners of self-indulgence. In the epicurean Louisiana culture I have been blessed to live in, these sacrifices have never been all that painful. At best, they have served to remind me occasionally of the spiritual journey and transformation that Lent is supposed to represent. Other years, I have resolved to give up certain bad habits such as gossiping or being critical of people or wasting my time on Facebook. Those resolutions proved more difficult than the edible ones and they, too, all too easily were broken when my spirit was willing but my flesh became weak. Besides, as a friend of mine recently pointed out, we’re not supposed to be gossipy or critical in the first place so why are those things we should be giving up??? Good point! So now, a few days from embarking on this year’s Lenten path, I find myself called to do something different, to take this year’s Lent to an even higher spiritual level so that it can truly be the transformational experience I think the Church means it to be.

I love to travel! Whether it’s an overnight trip, a weekend destination or a European tour, I relish the idea of leaving my everyday life behind for a time to discover new worlds or spend quality time with people I love. Right now I am eagerly anticipating exploring Fort Worth, Texas in a few months when one of my grandchildren goes off to college there. In preparation for this anticipated trip, I’ll probably have to do some rearranging of my schedule. I will mentally make checklists and plan what to wear. I keep looking at the Google map of downtown Fort Worth to get my bearings as to where I’ll be staying and what I want to see while I’m there. And I know that, no matter how thoroughly I plan or how carefully I pack, I will be surprised with new situations along the way that I have no way of foreseeing. God willing, I’ll return changed in a way. I will have new insights from having visited a place I haven’t been to in quite a while. I’ll have new memories on my cell phone. I’ll have stories and souvenirs to share with my family and friends.

If I were getting ready to literally travel for forty days across the desert, I know I would not be quite as excited. The only desert I have ever seen in person is the wilderness of New Mexico. I remember it as being dry, harsh and monotonous. Traveling there was difficult because for miles and miles there were no rest stops to conveniently meet my physical needs. Smart travelers set out with extra gas, food and water they might need to endure the trip. And maps – don’t forget the maps!

The prospect of spending forty days in the spiritual desert is equally daunting. I’m more aware this year that successfully navigating this journey requires some serious spiritual preparation. One encouraging thought is that I won’t be making it alone. I will have my fellow parishioners, my sweet church lady friends of St. Anne’s Circle, my close Catholic sister/friends, my husband, my Bible study group and my spiritual director to accompany me along the way. Prayer will help fuel my efforts to go further. Scripture will be my spiritual food. I find special encouragement in the gospel account of Jesus beginning his ministry in the wilderness. He was tempted in the same ways I am tempted – tempted to satisfy his appetite, tempted with worldly things, tempted to put God to the test, tempted to bask in His own glory and forego His Father’s mission. Mark says He was surrounded by wild animals but the angels attended to Him. So Jesus leads the way on this trip, and with His guidance I feel confident that I can spiritually thrive through this period and reach the glorious destination of Easter.

I know that if I can ignore the distractions of the world around me and find time each day to follow my Savior’s footsteps, I won’t get lost. I expect the landscape to be sparse and uninviting as I become even more painfully aware of the times I have strayed from the path. But I can also remember the beauty of the desert as well. I felt something peaceful when I surveyed its vastness. Dawns and sunsets were breathtaking reminders of God’s artwork. Infrequent rains made the parched land burst into bloom. So I am confident there will be graces along the way as well. Refreshing oases. Thrilling detours. Unexpected insights. The cross of Good Friday will be always visible on the horizon. Beyond that, the glory of the empty tomb!