We are ten days into the Season of Lent. Have we gotten back on track yet? It is amazing how the devil ramps it up; when he knows that we want to get back on track, with God and with His Church. Well, the devil doesn't want you to give anything to God or give anything for God. The devil doesn't want you to strengthen your relationship with God or His Church. The devil always wants you to be self-centered, just thinking about yourself always. Last week, in the Pastor’s Desk, I mentioned how for many of us, God is on the low end of our priorities. Did you spend any more time with God this week than last? Did you do anything more for God this week than last?

This is the challenge of Lent. How important is God to us? Where is God in our life? I don't mean going to Church on Sunday. We are supposed to do that. What I mean is, what is something extra I have done for God? I always think, of those great words of Saint John the Baptist, who when he saw Jesus said: “He must increase and I must decrease.” In order for Lent to have any type of impact in our spiritual life, we have to let Jesus be our first priority. My fear is that so many people just figure, what's the use: “I can’t change”, “I don't want to change - I am happy the way I am,” “I am too old to change”, or “there is no hope for me”. The truth is, that when we have a defeatist attitude, we are definitely doomed to failure. In order to have a fruitful Lent, we need to admit failure and that we need help: God’s help.

Saint Paul the Apostle had a great analogy that he always used in his New Testament Letters. He said the journey of Faith was like running a race. If I had a race to run, I would really need to practice. I know that just practicing once would not do it for me. It would take lots of practice because, to be truthful, I have not run a race in a long time. There would be lots of failure in practicing, a lot of sweat, expending energy, I would need to eat properly and I would need a lot of encouragement because slow progress can be depressing. Yet over time, I would get better, run longer, feel stronger and have more endurance. This is the way the spiritual life works. It takes time and many times there are no immediate results. It can be, and is, frustrating. But it is worth it. The goal is eternal life with God.