Rejoice Jerusalem! (Laetare Sunday)
- Logan Fude
- Mar 26, 2022
- 2 min read
I can already hear the soft snickers of little girls, “Father is wearing a pink dress!”
The boys will object, “Father isn’t wearing pink: it’s rose. That’s different!” (By the way, a priest’s outermost garment is a chasuble, not a dress).
Ah yes, Laetare Sunday. Why in the middle of Lent does the priest all of a sudden wear rose-colored vestments?
Laetare means “rejoice”. According to Simply Catholic, it gives us a glimpse of the joy we will soon experience at Easter in the midst of a season of fasting and prayer. Fast fact: in the same article, the author says that, historically, weddings were not allowed to be celebrated during Lent EXCEPT on Laetare Sunday. Who knew?
According to Catholic Answers, Laetare is usually celebrated by placing flowers on the alter. This is definitely noticed, since during Lent the sanctuary (and the church in general) is usually bare, with only a handful of appropriate decorations. At St. Thomas the Apostle, this includes sackcloth, candles, and thorny branches shaped like the crown of thorns. Around the base of the large, Lenten cross, there are earthen jars that coincide with various readings throughout lent (like the woman at the well from the 3rd Sunday of Lent).
The “Rejoice” festivities will also include a prelude and postlude to the mass played on the pipe organ, and the rest of the music for mass will similarly convey the message.
Keep your chin up my fellow Catholics, Lent is not over, but here is a glimpse of the Easter to come. If you have fallen off the wagon with what you intended to give up or add for Lent, let this Sunday encourage you and renew your dedication. Easter is not so far off my friends, so let us all reconsider what we are doing this Lent to become more generous with our alms, fasting, and prayers. Some of the changes I made that were difficult the first week of Lent are now commonplace (if so, good work! We are forming good habits together!).If this is you too, consider stepping things up a bit, and don’t forget to look back and rejoice at how much you are able to do with God’s grace.
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