“When our God reveals himself, his message is always one of freedom: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (Ex 20:2). These are the first words of the Decalogue given to Moses on Mount Sinai.”

These are the opening sentences of Pope Francis’ message for Lent 24.

“Lent is a season of conversion, a time of freedom,’ insists Pope Francis. And yet, he tells us, we are still inclined to prefer slavery under Pharaoh, who held the Israelites captive until Moses led them into the desert.” 

“Jesus himself, as we recall each year on the first Sunday of Lent, was driven into the desert by the Spirit in order to be tempted in freedom. For forty days, he will stand before us and with us: the incarnate Son. Unlike Pharaoh, God does not want subjects, but sons and daughters. The desert is the place where our freedom can mature in a personal decision not to fall back into slavery. In Lent, we find new criteria of justice and a community with which we can press forward on a road not yet taken.”

To read the full text of this message, click here.