Allow the Spirit to drive you out into the desert for Lent. Not to be tempted by the Devil, although that may happen over the next 6 weeks. But rather to be rid of all the dirt from the body so that we may be a sacrifice pleasing to God. A wonderful fragrance. The first Sunday of this holy season each year centers on the Lord Jesus being pushed out into the desert, where nothing but dirt, creatures who crawl, and a hot daylight sun and cool nights are encountered. There’s no better place on God’s green earth, or God’s brown earth, to remove the internal dirt from our bodies. Passing through Lent without symbolically going through the desert of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, is a wasted Lent. And 2021 – nor any year – is a year for wasting Lent, moving forward like all is fine and dandy right now, when we know it isn’t. Christians are not pretenders, pretending like the pandemic is made up. Pretending like so many people are not hurting at this time in body, mind, and spirit. Pretending like our students away from the social setting of school, away from friends and classmates, tied down to a computer for hours a day as a way of expanding the depth of their knowledge. Pretending, “Ah, they’ll get over it eventually. They’re pretty durable.” Pretending like certain groups and governing bodies have not become exceedingly selfish and self-serving, looking out for number one. Pretending like Tom Brady just won another Super Bowl … for the Patriots. I’ve been guilty of some of that pretending. We are not pretenders. We do not pretend that, once Ash Wednesday has arrived on the Church calendar, that our spiritual lives are not different from the week before. We’re not meant to pretend such things. I fear that some of us Catholics do walk through this holy season of opportunity, this season of desert and repentance, this season of intense prayer, sacrifice, and giving until it hurts, without removing any dirt from our body, mind, or soul. “Ah, what do I need that stuff for? What difference is it going to make?” said the crochety old man. “I’ve done it a thousand times! It hasn’t done anything for me!” “Well, old man. Maybe if you do Lent correct, it will do wonders for you. You might even love Jesus a bit more by the time Holy Week rolls around.” Go out into the desert. Put aside all the stuff we pretend is not real, or not bothering us deeply. Place it aside and enter an area in your life where you’re in a zone between you and the Master. Where you’re first, second, and third thought is zoned in on receiving God’s mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional love. One, two, and three. You ask; he extends the gift. Even a crochety old man like me can attain such an easy goal. Give it a real try. No pretending this Lent, 2021. As the Spirit drove Jesus into the real desert of ancient Palestine, make a 6-week covenant with God, in like manner of Noah, whom God made one with forever. Create a small holy space in the wider space of the desert of your world. And in that smaller open space, be in intimate communion with the God who created you. Allow yourself to make a real difference for yourself. No pretending like it cannot happen. And no pretending like we don’t need God’s mercy. Because we do. In his love for us, he’s ready to give it at no cost.