Going “Into the Desert with Joseph” this Lent is an invitation to follow his example of silence as the first of his virtues to embrace.  To go into the desert is to remove the distractions that crowd our lives.  In our busy world there is so much noise that to hear God’s voice can almost be impossible.  Can we embrace the fortitude needed to eliminate noise?  Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI once said, “one sometimes gets the impression that people are frightened of being cut off, even for an instant, from the torrent of words and images that mark and fill the day” (General Audience, March 7, 2012).  Can we, for example, eliminate a constant need to check the news feed on our smart devices?  Can we fast from television and streaming?  Can we let go of the need to check our favorite blogs or to make cruel or insensitive comments about others be they a national figure, family member or stranger?  Can we instead set aside time for prayer, listening to God as he speaks in scripture?  Silence is a type of asceticism.  Silence is to actively listen to God, like Joseph did, to listen to God who comes to us in silent moments. 

During Lent consider setting aside a specific time for prayer each day, sign-up for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament at Church on Fridays or come up on your own during the week or on Wednesday evenings.  Pray for a loved one or for someone in the parish.  Commit to prayerfully reading the Gospel of Mark.  It’s the shortest of the four gospels.  Pray with your family.  Mediate with the Stations of the Cross on your own or with the parish every Friday evening.  Participate in daily Mass or livestream Mass. 

Each of us needs to be vaccinated with the best medicine to fight off the diseases of the world.  Going “Into the Desert with Joseph” protects us with his silence that we might hear God’s voice and on hearing carry out the work God commands.  In the words of the psalmist, “Be still and know that I am God” (46:11).