A Time to Rejoice ..by Sr. Julian

This Sunday, opening the 4^th week of Lent, is called Laetare Sunday, or "Rejoice" Sunday. Our church provides us with liturgical opportunities to rejoice even in the midst of Lent. We especially rejoice that our God is a God of mercy and forgiveness. 

Lent is often a time of fasting and sacrifices. Not to let us be overcome by discouragement or with thoughts of hopelessness and sadness, halfway through Lent the church provides us with a day of anticipating the Easter joy to come. We celebrate the promise of God’s plan of salvation for us.

Recently, we had the joy of celebrating some exemplary saints in the church: St. Patrick, St. Joseph, and St. Benedict. And the solemnity of the Annunciation on March 25 is all about hope, the Hope of the world is to be born--Rejoice!

The Liturgy of the Word on Laetare Sunday is all about God’s merciful forgiveness. In the Book of Joshua, the Israelites finally make it to the Promised Land. God kept his promise of redemption! God forgave the complaints and the faithlessness of the Israelites and kept his promise of freedom and reconciliation to them.

Are there freedoms we can celebrate at this time? How have we experienced God’s merciful forgiveness? Do we believe it? Really believe it? Can we rejoice and be glad?

In the second reading, St. Paul is saying to the Corinthians, things are new now. There is a new way now, a way of forgiveness and mercy. God has reconciled with us through Christ. God’s reconciliation with us is great cause for rejoicing!

The Gospel of the Prodigal Son has to be one of the best scriptural examples of forgiveness and rejoicing. When the lost son returns home, his father throws a feast with music and dancing. A Laetare event! Despite the older brother’s anger, and despite the lost son’s failings, the father recognizes the repentance of his younger son and forgives him.

The Prodigal by Sir John Everett Millais, 1864

Remember how the Shepherd searched for the lost sheep? And when he finds it, he rejoices? So, too, the father of the spendthrift son rejoices and celebrates because the one who was lost has been found. 

I can identify with the older brother’s anger. Can you? Pretty human, I think. This son was faithful day after day and did not squander his inheritance or disobey his father. Somehow, he did not experience day to day his father’s love and gratitude for his stability and faithfulness.

El Hijo Prodigo / The Prodigal Son

Sometimes God’s limitless forgiveness and love doesn’t make sense to us. Perhaps we cannot possibly imagine its depth. Maybe it is just plain unbelievable! But it is there. Scripture gives us story after story of God’s unfathomable love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Rejoice! Easter is coming! Once again we will celebrate God’s promise of salvation.