Gospel: Mark
1:12-15
The Spirit drove
Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.
After John had been
arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: This is the time
of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the
gospel.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Have you been into
feeling of emptiness and brokenness in your Life? Wherein you question the
purpose of your life and eventually you question God as to why you have to go
through this period of emptiness and brokenness?
Some of us will come
out of this period of emptiness and brokeness with fully charged faith. And
some of us would come out of this moments of emptiness with lowly spirits.
Thus, we begin to develop coldness towards God and we eventually distance
ourselves from God.
This is our own
desert experience in which God purposely leads us to test the true mettle of
our faith and discipleship. During this period of brokenness Satan is there
also to temp us and the angels are there also to assure us that amidst these
moments of emptiness and brokeness God is always there for us to assure us of
His abiding presence.
We must not lose
sight of the fact that God uses this desert experience to strengthen us and not
to weaken us. We must not lose sight of the fact that God wants us all to come
out of these desert experience always triumphant over the devil.
Jesus had His own
desert experience in the gospel, He was led there by the Spirit. While there He
was tempted by the devil but He did not allow the devil to gain foothold in His
life. For the simple reason that He was faithful to His Mission. He instead
used His desert experience to strengthen Him after which this became His launching
point to start His three years’ public ministry.
At this very moment
in your life you maybe are going through your own desert experience. Don’t lose
heart; continue to trust God and continue to hold on to God no matter what
happens. He is always by your side to strengthen and save you from all the
trials that you’re presently going through. – Marino J. Dasmarinas