Journey in the desert

My dear Friends

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, which, I discovered, means Spring. I awoke this morning and cried for an hour over something that happened yesterday and, as a result, felt cleansed and refreshed. A good way to start the day.

Lent is the pilgrimage of the Church and also a personal pilgrimage through the desert-spiritual in our case in the West, but very real for the Children of Israel who spent 40 years wandering in order to find the Promised Land. The 'Promised Land' of the Church is Easter and the mystery of Christ's victory over death.

Jesus of Nazareth made his own pilgrimage into the Judean desert before starting his earthly ministry. You can see the Judean desert from the top of Masadah, a fortress in Israel/Palestine which was at one time inhabited by the Jewish zealots, who had gone there to flee from the Romans, and eventually made a suicide pact in which nearly all of them died.I often wondered how they got up there with the old and lame, and concluded it was on eagles' wings.

Every desert has its oases, every human heart has respite from its trial, tribulations and temptations. I will try to chart my journey in this country and Canada as I go through my own desert experience.

Shalom from
Sister Gila