Ash Wednesday was a great beginning to Lent in our Parish with two very well attended Masses with a service in each of our schools.

This Sunday we read in the gospel the familiar story of how Jesus goes into the desert after his baptism by John the Baptist. We find an account of this in Matthew, Mark and Luke. This shows that it was important and significant to each of the gospel writers and was probably told by Jesus himself to his followers. Why is this?

One reason was that after his baptism perhaps Jesus needed time alone to work out the nature of his mission and how he would go about it. Each temptation shows a different form of kingship involving some extraordinary act. Jesus sets these temptations aside opting instead for a ministry of three years of hard work travelling the length and breadth of Judea and beyond. He brings people to belief as much by who and how he is as well as by miraculous works.

Lent gives us a chance to reflect on who we are in relation to the Father and Jesus, also the mission that we all have as Christians. Like Jesus in the desert we too need time alone with God to reflect on our lives and make the changes that we so often need to bring us closer to God and each other,.

As always, be assured of my prayers for you and your intentions. 

With my sincere best wishes for the week ahead.

Fr Chris