Spoiler Alert! Lent will come to an end. Angelo Canta, S.J. reflects on how the Laetare Sunday reminds us that sin doesn’t have the last word, salvation does. The readings for this Sunday can be found here.
Spoiler alert: Lent will come to an end, and the Resurrection is already here.
Hi I’m Angelo Canta, and this is my one-minute reflection.
Today is Laetare Sunday, when the first words of the Mass are “Laetare,” “Rejoice.” You might hear more upbeat music. You might see the priest putting on rose-colored vestments. You might see flowers on the altar. But, for those doing the math, there’s still 21 days until Easter. Doesn’t it feel too early to be rejoicing?
I think the church gives us this Sunday as a little bit of a spoiler to the end of the story. In the desert of Lent, the dreariness of sin does not have the last word. Salvation does. Jesus tells us, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” We profess Christ who was crucified and risen. Yes, Good Friday is on the horizon, but so is Easter Sunday. We know how the story ends.
If you have found Lent challenging this year, or if you’re tempted to think that our faith calls us to be dreary and dour, Laetare Sunday is for you. In the desert of Lent, we are given a day of refreshment and rest, an oasis in the desert, a promise of the goodness that has already been given to us.
