Both the Gospel and the Season of  Lent take us on a journey in which Jesus is at the centre and stresses the importance of our encounter with Him. We follow him through his time of teaching to his death on Good Friday and his rising on Easter Sunday from the dead. These weeks give us space to reflect on the journey of our own lives and the places where we have drifted far from Jesus’ path. Lent invites us to ask ourselves what matters most deeply to us and to return to Jesus who remains close to us. Jesus’ message is simple and life changing. He reminds us that God is with us in all the hard places and questioning of our lives and we can remember and treasure the times and places of God’s presence. Lent is also a reminder that God’s coming is near and the time of waiting for God to act is over. The challenge for his hearers is to pay attention, to believe this great news, and to respond to it.