Today we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Lent also known to us as Laetare Sunday. This word is Latin for “rejoice” and is taken from this Mass’ Introit which comes from Isaiah 66, “Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and come together all you that love her, rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation.”
From this text we are instructed to rejoice. Nevertheless, it is also reflected that those who are and have been in sorrow will be given reason to rejoice. In the middle of this Lenten season we must be reminded of this reality. It can be easy for us to lose hope and give up when things seem to be too burdensome. Instead we must persevere each day keeping our sight firmly placed upon the Kingdom of Heaven, that pearl of great price spoken of in Sacred Scripture.
With all that surrounds us in this life it can be easy to question why we have reason to rejoice. In various parts of the world there are still places which are torn about by violence and bloodshed. In families there is the hardship of divorce. There are homes where peace and tranquility are not found in favor of violence. There are people who are barely getting by when it pertains to the paying on one’s bills. There are those whose health is fleeting before their eyes and the certainty of death ever seems to lurk. Those whose lives have been effected by addiction be it their own or those who are around them.
There is truly a lot that goes on within this world that we live. How are we to rejoice? During the Preface dialogue of each Mass we have an exchange of words that takes place between the celebrant and the people. “Lift up your hearts.” “We lift them up the Lord.” “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.” “It is right and just.” Giving thanks in the midst of such hardship can be difficult and thus we are to direct our sight to that which is truly important. With our sight set upon the Lord we can give thanks and we can rejoice.
Rejoice my brothers and sisters in the Lord our God for the celebration of the events of our salvation will soon come. The answer is the cross for through it the world has been redeemed. The cross is such a wondrous instrument of our salvation for Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert and they lived and so the Son of Man will be lifted up and they will live. Soon we will arrive at Easter and the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection and here we will come to proclaim the great hope that “life has changed, but not ended.”
In the midst of all that we face in this veil of tears let our hearts remain with these mysteries of our salvation. Through these sacred mysteries we will and have been given life. From them we are able to rejoice and give thanks. We are thus able to move forward each day with the gift of God’s grace to live for the Lord our God. Let us choose to live for Him always and thus rejoice for those thrust into sorrow may finally exult.
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.