Prayer of the Day

Feast of St. Ita

January 15th, 2014

In our preceding passages we saw how Jesus was engaged in intense pastoral ministry, with the ‘whole city’ gathered about the door, and he cured many sick and came to the rescue of many possessed by demons. It was in this context that Jesus goes out to a deserted place, a wilderness, for the first time for prayer at night. Even here he gets no peace, for Simon and those who were with him followed him, saying “Everyone is searching for you.”  The wilderness is the place of testing, trial, ongoing confrontation with the power of evil. The apostles and disciples are attracted to Jesus in the wilderness, and it is there also that they are shown glimpses of his glory. (cf. the Transfiguration). It was to the wilderness that Jesus also withdrew as he came to terms with the voice from heaven at his Baptism: “You are my Beloved Son.”