This weekend, the Church is celebrating the fourth Sunday of Lent, which is called Laetare Sunday or Sunday of Rejoicing. This Sunday is like Gaudete Sunday which is celebrated on the third Sunday of Advent. Hence, in both Sundays, Laetare and Gaudete, the Church uses the rose color. The rose color indicates a glimpse of joy that awaits us on Easter before we go to celebrate the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, Laetare Sunday reminds us that we are close to the sacred mysteries of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord. Therefore, the Church wants to express hope and joy in the middle of penance, fasting, and the rest of the Lenten observances.
Mr. Michael Heinlein, editor of Simply Catholic, says, “Laetare Sunday is the Church’s way of giving us a ‘shot in the arm’ as we approach the darkness and horror of the days through Good Friday and Holy Saturday. It’s an opportunity to savor and keep in the back of our minds what awaits us on Easter Sunday — the reality that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and that our hearts will always be filled with joy!” (Simply Catholic).
Laetare Sunday reminds us that Jesus Christ came to save each one of us. He did not come to condemn us, but to guide us to the house of our heavenly Father. He came to restore our friendship with God, and the way that Jesus did this was through His Passion and Death on the cross, and of course, His resurrection. Therefore, this Sunday invites us to rejoice not for the death of Jesus but rejoice because through Jesus’ death on the Cross and His Resurrection, we have been saved. In addition, the Resurrection of the Lord is giving us hope that we will find something better and wonderful in the Kingdom of God.
Let us remember that God does not want to condemn us, to send us to Hell. Hell is a reality in which if we are not careful with our spiritual life, we can go. But Jesus’ love is bigger than our sins, and He wants all of us go to the Kingdom of Heaven. Hence, we are celebrating this Laetare Sunday.
Let us celebrate and rejoice in this time of Lent as an anticipation of joy at the Easter festivities.
Remember, The Parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build.
God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!
Fr. Jorge Ramirez
