April 6th, 2014
In the first words of the Opening antiphon, we sing out, “Rejoice, Jerusalem and come together you who love her.”
How beautiful—We are Jerusalem—and Our Lord is telling us to be happy. The nickname of this Sunday is—in fact—Laetare Sunday—from the Latin—Rejoice!
But there is a subtle irony going on here because we remember that we are still in Lent and everything is supposed to be dark and dim—somber and serious. And when we see that even the vestments—when we do it right—are not deep purple—but rose colored, we realize that something is happening.
What is happening is that Holy Mother Church is trying to teach us—by means of Laetare Sunday—-a mighty lesson—and the lesson is this: Our lives so often can seem serious— difficult—and hard to handle—Life is like Lent. But the Church is telling us we cannot be discouraged. Because God is always present and present when we most need Him.
If Lent reminds us by means of our prayers and meditations and fasting and penances and confessions how God is a sacrificing God—a suffering God—a dying God—but Laetare Sunday brings us back to the reason for it all. He suffers in order that our suffering would not be so great. He dies in order that we might live.
no matter how dark and murky this life is for us—it is not hopeless
Laetare Sunday tells us that no matter how dark and murky this life is for us—it is not hopeless. Life is not all purple and sin and sadness—God is there—to tell us that there is hope when everyone else see despair—there is life where everyone else sees death. There is joy even in the midst of suffering.
Maybe we have been struggling with illness—and how many people right now are in McNeal Hospital—or Cook County—or Loyola—suffering terribly. And their families at their bedside are only suffering slightly less so.
And just when this one gets well—someone else gets sick. For so many people—all of us really-—life can seem to be one long pull through a wringer—twisting us and turning us and squeezing us limp. Life is an endless slog through many dark valleys with precious few peaks along the way.
But with our Catholic faith—that tells us who Jesus is—and how things really are—even the worst illness in the hospital can be understood and dealt with—not as atheists deal with these things—but as believers—who trust that God will bring out of all this suffering—good things—happy things—consoling things.
And how? Our catholic faith reminds us that even if the one we love should die—which to the world would be the worst disaster—we as believers know that they live—not quite as the persons they were but now in the embrace of God. Does this not help the suffering person? The suffering family? And is this not the point of Laetare Sunday? In the midst of the purple—there is hope for something brighter.
Let me give another example. Maybe things are not going so well in the home. Maybe there is more worse than better—more bad than good.
Maybe there is developing bitterness and anger and this erupts in daily fights and nightly arguments—children contending with their parents and parents struggling with their children. And husbands and wives battling each other.
It is not always easy to live in a community—and a family is a community. And this strife—the more of it that there is can make family life seem like one long Lent—one penance after another.
Well—again—it is our faith—our religion our Catholicity that helps strengthen us and console us and give us direction as family. Our faith is the rose colored vestments of hope. We remember that love is sacrificial and for families to be at peace—they must sacrifice for each other—sacrifice what each wants so that the others are taken care of. That’s real love.
And so in Lent and on this Sunday—we learn to examine our consciences—and ask how we may be to blame for the discord that is growing. You see the rest of the world just accepts the arguing and fighting as reason to argue and fight more—but the Catholic in the light of faith -in the glow of the rose vestments of Laetare Sunday asks : have I stopped being affectionate with my spouse? Would I rather snap and argue and ignore my spouse than to sit down and hold their hand and say “let us try again.”
The Domestic Church
And Lent and Laetare Sunday is the best opportunity to ask how we are dealing with our children? Or grandchil- dren? When there is a chance to teach the young people in our lives something important about the world—or history—or politics—or about God—or church or faith—do we tell them to be quiet and leave us alone? Do we abandon our children to their smart phones and texting ?and let the stars and celebrities be their teachers?
Do we forget how we must teach them? Do we forget that maybe we are the only ones who can teach them– Not the television and internet – not the media and the politicians. We –faithful believing adult Catholics—in the rosy glow of our faith—must be their guides. Because if we are not their guides—there is someone else who will be happy to take the job from us.
And let me ask this: are you married to the person with whom you live? Are you married in Church? Have you let God join you in matrimony or have you handed that job off to the lawyers?
If you are not married in church—see me or Father Elvio. We will do what we can to bring God into your souls and homes and families. We need Catholic families these days more than ever—families who understand the presence of God in their lives—who understand what it means to live as a Catholic family—a family that does not believe in divorce—or unfaithfulness—and believes in the beauty of children. We need families that pray every day—go to Mass every Sunday. Lent is an incredible opportunity to get our families together.
And Laetare Sunday is the day we realize that with God—with Jesus—with our Faith we can turn it all around. Our suffering is not endless– our families are not lost—our children are not hopeless—our spouses are not im- possible. Life is not all purple—Laetare Sunday and the rose color—tells us that because of our Catholic faith— and following the teachings of our faith we know that God is present and God knows and He will help and bring us out the other side.
Is it any wonder that we begin Mass today with the words “Rejoice.”