A Laetare Sunday Thought To Sustain Us For The Rest of Lent
It's Laetare Sunday. There's a bit of rejoicing mixed in with the usual somber Lenten mood. We're being encouraged to look forward to glory of Easter. But we're not there yet.
When our children were young and living with us, we celebrated Laetare Sunday in some different way that always included something special to eat. Maybe it was a richer dinner, or a fancy dessert. Whatever it was, we tried to communicate the joyful respite of Laetare Sunday to our children, who typically gave up something meaningful for Lent.
If properly vested, the priest will wear rose-colored vestments today, not the usual purple. And if we're properly educated in our Catholic liturgy, we know that the last two weeks of Lent bring a kind of ramping up of the Lenten spirit. Well, maybe not as much as once was the case.
Ever since the switch from the traditional Latin Mass to the Novus Ordo Mass, the custom of covering statues for the last two weeks of Lent has fallen into disuse. Not that it's a rule or anything (at least as far as I know). A parish in Manhattan where I once worked and attended weekday Mass used to cover its statues. But it's a relatively rare thing these days.
Not so in the tradition rite - a practice I remember quite well growing up. I liked it. It provides a stark contrast to the glory to come on the Easter Vigil when all the statues would have their coverings removed at the singing of the Gloria. Accompanying the Gloria, as well, was the ringing of bells. The unveiling, the Gloria, the bells, all left their mark. Lent was definitively over. Jesus had risen from the dead. Alleluia!
But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. It's still Lent. Much as we might enjoy the Laetare break, we're not done with our Lenten discipline yet. So here's something from Father Willie Doyle to help us keep up with our efforts.
A fierce temptation during Mass and thanksgiving to break my resolution and indulge my appetite at breakfast…Jesus urged me to pray for strength though I could scarcely bring myself to do so. But the temptation left me in the refectory, and joy filled my heart with the victory. I see now that I need never yield if only I pray for strength.
It's so easy to slack off from a Lenten commitment, even if we try to recall that the commitment is to Our Lord. You would think that, knowing what He gave for us, that simple understanding would keep us on track. But with our fallen human nature, it shouldn't be a surprise if this fails to energize us.
Perhaps sharing Father Willie's words here can at least let us know that even the holy struggle with their commitments to Him.
We're not in this alone.
We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee
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