The Long Walk to Easter

Entering the desert of Lent is not a frantic dash to a finish line, but a slow, intentional pilgrimage into the heart of God. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, by the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert (CCC 540). This is a season of "interior penance," which is not a mere surface-level adjustment of our habits, but a "radical reorientation of our whole life" (CCC 1431). Just as Christ spent forty days in the wilderness, we are called to a sustained journey of purification. If we treat Lent like a quick sprint, we risk burning out by the second week; instead, we must pace ourselves, allowing the silence of the desert to gradually strip away our distractions and reveal our true need for divine mercy.

St. Francis of Assisi, a man who lived his entire life as a perpetual journey toward Christ, once said, "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." This wisdom is the perfect compass for our Lenten trek. We do not achieve holiness through one singular burst of willpower, but through the small, persistent steps of daily prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Francis viewed himself as a "pilgrim and a stranger" in this world, teaching us that the desert is not a place to settle, but a path to pass through. By embracing this steady, rhythmic pace, we transform our Lenten sacrifices from a checklist of chores into a meaningful walk toward the joy of the Resurrection.