Rejoice.

The 4th Sunday of Lent is known as Laetare Sunday. Like the third Sunday of Advent, it marks a change in our direction and starts preparing us for Jesus’ fnal journey into Jerusalem, where He will be arrested, scourged, and crucifed; yet rise again. All that Jesus will endure is for us and is cause for us to thus rejoice, which is the meaning of the Latin word for this Sunday. St. Paul tells us that whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. Christ’s resurrection provided the means for us being reconciled back to God and get us back on the right path. The parable known as that of the “Prodigal Son” shows us the very mercy and goodness of the Father, God the Father. The son has squandered his inheritance and realizes that he is living in a foreign place and doesn’t even match up to his father’s servants back at his home. The son decides to return and repent before his father, but even before he can do so the father welcomes with great joy his son’s return and plans a grand celebration. God the Father brought the Israelites out of their slavery and into the land of plenty, where they could eat of the produce that others had started. Again, this shows the power and wonder of God and His goodness to His people. All celebrate and rejoice in the presence of God each Sunday at Mass, where we taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Rejoice,
Fr. Fred