Who are we seeking?

Ash Wednesday is a time for fasting, almsgiving and prayer. These are traditional practices which allow God to be at the centre of our lives. However, they can at times seem to be hard work rather than a way of allowing God to draw us closer. We hear this in the Gospel in the temptations which are put before Jesus. He is tempted to sustain himself with something which is not bread. We can often hunger for something or someone to make sense of our lives. We can consume things without thinking or consideration because they ease the hunger pains either in our minds, our hearts or our stomachs. Yet afterwards feel empty again. Fasting allows us to discover what truly nourishes us. Then Jesus is tempted to change situations at the click of his fingers. We want the quick solution or the instant result. Yet once again it is what we give our lives to which changes the situation. What are we truly moved to dedicate our lives too? Lastly, there can be the belief that we have to be across all the news in the world to be relevant and up to date. We want to be in control and responding to every situation with candour, wit and perspective. We try to put ourselves at the centre rather than allowing God to be at the centre. Lent is essentially about allowing God to be at the centre of our lives and listening so that we can discover what truly leads us to life.