Sermon in a Bottle

First Sunday of Lent - B.  "He remained in the desert for forty days."

Sacred scripture loves symbolic numbers.  Jacob had 12 sons, and thereby 12 tribes.  Jesus chose 12 apostles.  The Jews wandered in the desert for 40 years.  Jesus prayed in the desert for 40 days.  Peter betrayed Jesus three times.  Jesus commanded Peter to love his sheep three times.  We go into the desert of Lent for 40 days to find silence, revel in God's companionship, even confront the three temptations of Satan, so that we can joyously celebrate the Great Three Days of Easter.