"The journey of Lent is an exodus from slavery to freedom. These 40 days correspond to the 40 years that God's people trekked through the desert to return to their homeland. How difficult it was to leave Egypt?...Our journey back to God is blocked by our unhealthy attachments, held back by the seductive snares of sin, by the false security of money and appearances, by the paralysis of our discontents. To embark on this journey, we have to unmask these illusions" (Pope Francis).

The Israelites struggled throughout their 40 years in the the desert because many of them kept looking back to Egypt, the comforts and pleasures in spite of slavery. They were reluctant to let go their comfort zones and to trust that God had something greater and better for them, a land flowing with milk and honey. God continually confronted them over the hardness of their hearts, hardened by their sins. During our Lenten journey God wants to confront us with our comfort zones and our unwillingness to fully trust that God has something better for us. Sometimes we are satisfied with only scratching the surface and doing the minimal. Like St. Augustine, we want to return to the Lord but not now. We want to be holy, but not now. It wasn't until the Israelites were ready to trust and obey the Lord, to keep his commandments, to follow his direction that they finally entered the Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey. Hopefully, it will not take 40 years for us to finally be converted and be transformed as his disciples.