40 seems to be a very important number throughout history, especially in scripture. Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai, and returned with the Law. Elias spent 40 days on Mount Horeb, then came down and is a figure of future prophets. Jesus spent 40 days in the desert prior to beginning his public teachings. The Church has never forgotten these figures, and now 'sends us out into the desert, that there we may learn from our Lord Jesus how we are to fight. Let us go; let us learn, from the temptations of our Divine Master, that the life of man upon earth is a warfare, and that, unless our fighting be truceless and brave, our life, which we would feign pass in peace, will witness our defeat. That such a misfortune may not befall us, the Church cries out to us, in the words of St. Paul(from his epistle to the Corinthians): BEHOLD! NOW IS THE ACCEPTABLE TIME. BEHOLD! NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION. Let us, in all things, comport ourselves as the servants of God, and keep our ground inflinchingly to the end of our holy campaign, God is watching over us, as He did over His beloved Son in the desert.'
Lord, teach us to do Your holy will!
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