Brothers and Sisters,

Today, we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Lent. First Sunday, we met Jesus in the desert. The Second Sunday, we met Jesus on the mountain, transfigured in glory. The third Sunday, we met Jesus in a Samaritan town in conversation with a woman of ill repute, calling her to a change and transformation of her life. Today, the fourth Sunday, we meet Jesus giving sight a man who was born blind.

Today is also “Laetare Sunday” which means “Rejoicing Sunday.” The word “Laetare” (Latin) is from the Entrance Antiphon of the Mass of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, meaning, "Rejoice!". Rose color vestments are worn by the priest and the deacon.  Rose represents joy. Halfway through the holy season, we discover the bright color of rose in the liturgy, anticipating the joy of Easter. The season of Lent with its purple color in Liturgy and its penitential practices tend to be viewed as a morbid and sad time. But Lent is a season of hope and joy. Lent is the springtime of the Church. Lent is a journey to Easter, a journey from death to resurrection. We begin the season with ashes on our foreheads, make our journey to the cross, to suffering, to death, to the empty tomb and to the joy of the resurrection.

We are a people of the resurrection and so a people of hope. We are a people redeemed by the all-embracing love of God. We have reason to rejoice.  The world needs joy, men and women who are joyful, who found joy in giving themselves generously in sacrificial love, in selfless service, in kindness and compassion. The world needs men and women who will choose to light a candle of joy every day and let the gloom of the world disappear. We are called to be joyful witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus.

The first reading of today’s mass speaks of the joy of Samuel when he found David as the man whom God had chosen to be king over his people and anointed him. Samuel rejoiced because he discovered God’s choice of a king for his people. Our responsorial Psalm today is the joyful song of David because he found God as his shepherd. In finding God as his shepherd, he became confident, free and unafraid and sang, “I will never be in want or be afraid and only blessings will come to me” (Psalm 23). St. Paul advised the Ephesians to live joyful lives because they are children of light and not in darkness anymore.  Paul says, light produces benevolence, righteousness, truth and fills us with joy (Ephesians 5:8-14, Second reading of today’s mass).           

To read more of this Sunday’s reflection, please click on the links below…..