Into the Desert
By Deacon Rod Knight
Prior to the permanent deacon ordination, we had a mandatory five-day retreat required by Canon law. I am sure that many of you may not be aware of this, or the fact that Father Adam was my spiritual advisor and that Father Adam led this five-day retreat for the seventeen deacon candidates that were ordained in 2022. Father did an amazing job.
Father Adam also introduced us to a painting by Ivan Kramskoi, Christ in the Desert. The painting is Christ seated on a rock eyes filled with anguish and pain, battle-weary and exhausted. It is Christ after fasting and being tempted by Satan for forty days in the desert. This painting hangs in my office and personal prayer space in my home. I also have paintings of The Incredulity of Saint Thomas (Doubting Thomas sticking his hand in Christ’s side) by Caravaggio and of the Widow’s Mite (Luke 21: 1-4) by James Christensen. I have listed the titles and painters of each work so you may google them and reflect on these images. These paintings speak to me, and I hope they speak to you. The poor widow donating her two copper coins, she gave all that she had. A reflection of Christ who gave all He had, His life. Thomas who’s seen Christ in the flesh and witnessed His miracles, still doubted. As at times we do.
Lent is upon us. Time to set down the chocolate or other sweets and suffer as Christ did in the desert? NOPE! Not this year. This is a year to get it right. I can easily say give up sin for lent, easily said but not easily done. What is sin? It is selfishness. It is the choosing of what I want over what God wants. Christine, my wife, sent me a reflection from Bishop Barron who spoke of Robert Knox’s talk about the sign of the cross. When we make the sign of the cross the first two gestures from the letter “I”, and the next two gestures cross it out. That is what the cross of Jesus meant and means. Let us seek humility by canceling out I. Give up the “me” mentality. Ask, what can I do to love my neighbor? Begin by seeking humility. If you don’t know how to, start by googling Catholic Litany of Humility or Catholic Prayer for Humility and add this to your daily prayers. Seek to imitate Christ, read Sacred Scripture. St Jerome said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ”. Remember we cannot give what we don’t have. I am calling you to the desert, defeat Satan and temptation by the Word of God. Alleluia is used to thank and glorify God, it is rejoicing. On the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, it will be the last time we sing the alleluia until the Easter Vigil. Lord, may we exit this Lenten journey rejoicing knowing we have died to self and come closer to you, Alleluia, alleluia!