Today as we celebrate the First Sunday in our Lenten Season we recall all those seasons in our own history and the many ways we have observed these six weeks preparing for Easter. But it is important to remember that it is not just about giving up food or movies or unhealthy habits. It is much more about changing our hearts and allowing God to enter more fully into our lives.

One of the mistakes we tend to make is to focus our Lenten observance around ourselves. But in fact, it is a time for us to focus our attention ever more on God and God’s gift of salvation.

Today’s Gospel reading is the familiar story of Jesus being led into the desert and tempted there by the devil. Each temptation focuses on Jesus – his power, his might, his hunger. But Jesus does not succumb because HE is focused not on himself but on us, our need for salvation and on God’s will for Him. Jesus emerges from this trialt strengthened and energized to carry out God’s will.

That too is our goal as we approach the Easter Season. Lent is meant to strengthen us in our relationship with God; by focusing on God and not just on ourselves, God becomes more a part of our lives and His will becomes ever more important.

So yes, we all have our own ways of observing this important season, The bottom line, however is to invite God to be a greater part of our lives and to fill us with the gift of salvation.