LENT is a time when Christians go into the desert with Jesus. As an environment, the desert is silent and empty- and strangely appealing. But it is also arid, with little to offer in the way of nourishment. To survive there spiritually, we must know who we are. We must come to rely on our foundational relationship with God and must trust that God will sustain us. According to George Lacey, the desert is a place where we can get some things (such as tempta- tions) out of the way, and deepen our prayer, so that we will be better able to follow the path out of the desert to the place where it takes us.

This book is comprised of a series of reflections on the days of Lent, based on the daily scripture readings. Homilists will find it useful. Ordinary Christians will certainly wel- come it as a way to go into the desert of Lent deliberately and be strengthened by the experience. These quiet medi- tations lead us step-by-step through the days and weeks of the desiccated landscape of Lent, to a place of water and light. Along with prayer, it is nourishment enough.