Pope Benedict urged the Church in a letter to youth, “You need to know what you believe!” I’m a cradle Catholic with a Theology major, but because my textbook knowledge isn’t tested too often, it gets pretty rusty. I find myself faced with the same, seemingly elementary questions that I did before beginning my studies at Benedictine – questions of concepts and general Catholic vernacular. Recently my husband brought up Lent’s Laetare Sunday (pronounced “Lay-TAR-ay”) and, slightly embarrassed because we share the same theological education from the same college, I hesitated to ask, “What’s that?” Thus began my most recent faith-educational excursion focusing on the Lenten Sunday strangely marked with rejoicing amid a more somber observation. It is the mid-point of the season that carries a multitude of Catholic liturgical traditions with it. As with every other aspect of Catholicism that I’ve studied, I was hooked and in awe at the depth of Church tradition.
Laetare is Latin for “rejoice”; the day itself is named for the Mass Introit that reads “Rejoice Jerusalem…you who have been in sorrow…” (Isaiah 66:10) It’s on this particular Sunday, falling on March 10th this year, that the austerity of Lent is set aside to celebrate and encourage the faithful in an otherwise solemn and penitential season. Amid times of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, Laetare Sunday is a sign of hope for Easter – almost there! Keep it up!
Something not commonly known about the liturgy is that each Mass has a theme set by the first reading and the Gospel, and the theme for Laetare Sunday definitely sets the tone for rejoicing. The Liturgy of the Word starts with Joshua 5: the end of the Israelites’ 40 years in the dessert draws near and they no longer eat manna (a food of survival served in their wandering), but food from the Canaan the Promised Land, marking the end of their time in the desert. The Gospel reading is the beloved story of the Prodigal Son; similar to Joshua, it speaks joyfully to the fulfilled promises of God the Father’s mercy and forgiveness.
You’ll notice at Mass that the church may be adorned with flowers, usually forgone during the season of Lent, and the priest has the option to wear rose vestments instead of purple to celebrate the happy half-way point. Some parishes silence their organs and other instruments during Lent to accentuate the seriousness of the season. If that’s the case for your church, instrumental music might resume for the day as well. Next year during Mass at the Vatican, the pope will follow a tradition of his predecessors – he will carry and bless a golden rose to symbolize Christ as the “flower sprung from the root of Jesse,” then present the flower to a church or shrine.
Being Catholic is a lifelong blessing and in order to reap its abundant fruits, we need to investigate it. To learn the Faith is to love it! The mere mention of Laetare Sunday from Andrew peaked my curiosity to see what this day was all about. After reading the planned Liturgy of the Word and researching the Sunday itself, my eagerness for Lent and its holy mid-point increased. There is an exciting sense of life and anticipation within Laetare Sunday that is certain to revitalize your Lenten efforts and heighten your anticipation for Easter.
Original edition published to the Catholic Connection of the Diocese of Shreveport
