When we read the gospel story today about Jesus entering the wilderness and being tempted by Satan, I think there is a sense of de ja vu (which means already seen) for all of us. We have been in a wilderness for the last year and we have experienced many temptations. These temptations have caused us a lot of anxiety, lonliness, despair and we have all struggled to get through this period; and are still struggling. The gospel tells us today that God sent angels to support Jesus in this time of anxiety and despair.  Let us call to mind the angels that God has sent us to support us during these struggles and let us give thanks for them. Let us also remember that we have been called to support and encourage so many people we have encountered during this long struggle. When I read the story in the gospel today about Jesus being tempted by Satan, I remember a book I read on one occasion: ‘The devil takes a holiday’ by Lisanne Valente. It speaks about the devil being bored with very little to do. The author contends that Satan can now afford to take a holiday, because his allies: the world, pleasure, power and comfort have effectively taken over from him. Story of a man who went to a fancy-dress ball, dressed as the devil.  He parked his car and as he ran to the ball venue, there was a sudden cloudburst. He ran into a nearby Church for shelter and caused instant pandemonium amongst the people getting ready for evening Mass. In the stampede for the exits handbags, rosary beads and personal belongings were left behind. The hasty departure of one lady came to a sudden halt when her coat got caught in one of the pews. She blurted out in a terrified voice: ‘Look Satan, I know I’ve been to mass every morning for the past twenty years, but I want you to know that during all that time I was really on your side!’ The gospel story tells us that Jesus was tempted by Satan. When we think of temptations we immediately think of bad things. However, it is not only evil that can lead us astray. Good can do so just as effectively. All temptations come under the guise of good. When our path is littered with attractions, we sometime lose sight of our goal. We sometimes get sidetracked, so that before we know it, we’ve forgotten our goal and wasted our strength. Lent is never about adding to the difficluty of what we are experiencing, far from it. This dessert of covid-19 has been very tough for all of us, it has caused a lot of anxiety and loneliness and despair. Like Jesus in the gospel today we sometimes think that God has forgotton us; our trust in God has been tested. The message from the gospel today is that God is present with us. He knows our suffering and suffers with us. Lent presents us with the most powerful reminder, that, in the face of the turmoil and pain, the tremendous suffering of this world, God is with us. When Jesus was in the desert, the dangers were there, the tests were real but also God sent the angels to minister to him and strengthen him. Let us open our eyes and recognise the angels that God is sending us to help us get through this pandemic and let us assure ourselves that together we will get through it.