At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.
Mark 1:12-15

On the first Sunday of Lent, the Gospel brings us to the desert. Here, Jesus spent forty days and forty nights fasting.

Following his baptism, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert. The Holy Spirit helped reveal who Jesus is as Son of God through the temptations to follow. The devil tempted Jesus three times. With every temptation Jesus was asked to question his relationship with God. But Jesus’ commitment to God never wavered.

During Lent, the holiest season in our Christian faith, we renew our promises to reject sin and live more holy lives. Lent is about sacrifice, prayer, charity, and helping others.

In the example of Jesus from his time in the desert, we fast during Lent to grow stronger in our faith. But for many families in New York, it is not their choice to be without food. The price of food has gone up so high. People are still struggling. Too many families are being forced to go hungry.

Especially during the Lent, we focus on helping our neighbors in need — non-Catholics and Catholics alike. One of the ways we do this is to ensure that vulnerable families and individuals have nutritious food.

“We need to feed the hungry in the name of Jesus, and that is a high honor and call. We need to make sure that none of our neighbors are ever turned away when they look to the church for help,” reflects Cardinal Dolan.

Feeding Our Neighbors is one of our programs to address hunger in New York. Though our vast network of food pantries, community soup kitchens, and emergency food distributions, its sole mission is to ensure that no hungry neighbor is turned away. The lifesaving program demonstrates our faith in action.

As we continue to fast through Lent, I pray that you may feel full from the help you provide and the hope you create for others.

Please CLICK HERE to download our 2024 Lent Calendar to help guide you on your journey to Easter

May God bless you throughout your Lenten journey.