Saturday, March 18, 2023

Rejoice O Jerusalem: Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent_Laetare

1 Sm 16;1B, 6-7, 10-13A

Eph 5:8-14

Jn 9:1-41

 

"Laetare Jerusalem: et conventum facite omnes 

qui diligitis eam:

gaudete cum laetitia, 

qui in tristitia fuistis . . ."

 

"Rejoice oh Jerusalem and all who love her.

Be joyful, all who were in mourning . . ." 

 

The designation of the fourth Sunday of Lent as Laetare Sunday derives from the first word of the entrance antiphon: Laetare.  Rejoice.

 

In one of the many essays he composed during his 40 years teaching at 

Georgetown, the late Jesuit Father Jim Schall wrote: "Laetare Sunday is traditionally called a respite.  It makes us begin to feel the nearness of the Passion and the Resurrection, but with a reminder that even amid the Lenten fast 

and the coming remembrance of the Crucifixion, we are not to forget that Christianity is a religion of joy."   

 

We are not to forget that Christianity is a religion of joy

 

Father continues, "Christianity is called the most worldly of the religions because it is a religion engaged with the world and in the world, but it is not of the world.  

Christianity transcends the world, it goes beyond the world it goes beyond the universe. It will not cease when the world ends or when the universe involutes on itself."

 

We will be reminded on the Feast of the Annunciation this coming Saturday

that because of Mary’s fiat “May it be done to me according your word” Christianity will persist beyond the end of the world and the end of the universe, just as Mary’s words will echo eternally through the universe and whatever is left when it ends..  

 

Schall then makes a further observation, "Christianity is also the happiest religion 

since it knows this world is not all there is.  There is something precious beyond the world.  The world is not a bad place.  It gives us enough room to relax in, if we don't expect of the world more than it can give, or if we don't see the world for what it is not."

 

Seeing the world for what it is and what it is not, is Paul’s warning to the Ephesians. “Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness, rather, expose them. . . Live as children of the light, for light produces every kind of goodness,

and righteousness, and truth.” . . . 

 

Expose them.

 

The task of the Church is to expose the works of darkness for what they are, the works of darkness in the abortion clinic, the works of darkness in state legislatures passing bills to allow killing the sick elderly before their time, and the and the works of darkness, the pure evil, of those who encourage and assist in the psychological, surgical and hormonal abuse of barely pubertal children who lack full decision-making capacity. 

 

“Awake, O sleeper, 

and arise from the dead, 

and Christ will give you light.”

 

Christ gives us the same light that he gave the man born blind.  

 

Laetare Sunday reminds us that we are approaching the magnificent liturgies 

of the Sacred TriduumThe Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday begins with the blessing of the fire from which the paschal candle is lit.  As he incises the candle before lighting it, the priest says the words that explain our faith in one sentence: 

 

"Christ yesterday and today 

the beginning and the end. 

Alpha and Omega; 

all time belongs to him, 

and all the ages; 

to him be glory and power, 

through every age for ever." 

 

Soon our mourning will be replaced by dancing.  It will not be the short respite of Laetare Sunday but the unfettered joy of Easter, a joy we will carry forth for weeks despite the realities of life impinging on us. The joy of Christianity as described by Father Schall.  The darkness of death will be overwhelmed by the light of eternal life.  Like the man born blind in today's Gospel, we will see with unclouded vision.  Unlike the man born blind, we will not be confused 

about who gave us our sight. 

 

"Laetare Jerusalem: et conventum facite omnes 

qui diligitis eam:

gaudete cum laetitia . . . " 

 

Rejoice Jerusalem  . . . .

__________________________________

Got snowed in in Vermont last week.  Thus, no homily.  However, some fresh winter photos.  I prefer to convert snow photos into black and white and work with the contrast.  







Fr. Jack, SJ, MD

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