The fourth week of Lent is referred to as Laetare Sunday.
Rejoice
The Latin meaning of the word laetare is “rejoice.” This word taken from Isaiah 66:10:
Isaiah 66:10 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; Rejoice with her in her joy, all you who mourn over her—
On Laetare Sunday priest wear rose colored vestments
Those of us who have been honoring our sacrifices during Lent, we’ve made it to the half-way mark. This Sunday, March 10th, is 21 days before Easter.
Spiritual Lent
For me, giving up bread and dessert has been a great sacrifice. I could honesty live on bread alone. Sweets have always been my biggest downfall, but this Lent has given me a deeper spiritual connection. As a result, the temptation for what I have given up is second nature. My prayer life has improved, and exercising daily has helped clear my once-cluttered mind.
Hallow
We can clear our minds through prayer. If we open the door to the Spirit of God and welcome His presence, the Holy Spirit will take over. On my long walks I pray the rosary and listen to the Hallow app. Hallow has been a great instrument in my Lenten journey. I praise God for the collaborated work on Hallow. We all recognize the famous names attached to this app like Mark Walhberg and Jonathan Roumie. But there are so many others, ordinary people like myself, whose contributions have caused me to look deeper into my relationship with God. We grow closer to our Lord when we allow our minds to receive the truth. God is our light, and He teaches us how to be the light to others.
The Light
Sometimes my husband Mike goes to bed before me. To avoid disturbing his sleep, I do not turn on the light. When the moon is hidden from the earth there is no natural light, so I stumble and sometimes bump my head or trip. Darkness can only be dispelled by light. Part of today’s readings were from John 3:16-21, where you can find the renowned verse John 3:16.
John 3:16-21 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
16 For God so loved the world that he gavehis only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. 21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
Evil In The World
There will always be evil in this world. Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, is a perfect example of evil. Anyone who attempts to shed light in his dark world will be assassinated. This evil dictator, before the world’s audience, has blatantly murdered those who do not agree with him. That is how Satan operates: when you are filled with evil, you will never see the light. There are people who prefer darkness to light who live among us. We need to switch on the light for them by expressing God’s love. For a reprobate mind this is the only remedy.
Giving a godly opinion never works for those who choose to live in the dark, because their minds are closed to the truth. It is not our responsibility to win others to Christ, but it is our duty as Christians to continue to love them. Love truly conquers all!
Prayer
Encountering people who do not believe the Word of God and the truth it stands for is part of our daily cross. But one thing is sure: if you are in daily prayer the task becomes less burdensome. Together as Christians we must always defend the Word of God, not twist it to make it conform to our own beliefs. If you are guilty of this behavior, your core beliefs will lack truth and your growth in Christ will be delayed.
One God
We are all made from the same fiber, we belong to the family of God. As long as we follow God’s light we will have peace. Anger overtakes those who want so desperately be heard. They want to change the truth into their beliefs in order to make their sinful behaviors acceptable. You can pass bills, legislate and manipulate laws to make your worldview legal. But in the eyes of God, making sin legal does not change the moral standards of the Bible.
Reconciliation
Last Monday our parish had ten priests hearing confessions. I took one of my grandsons with me. As we waited, my grandson was not sure what he was supposed to do or how to recite the opening prayer. I told him not to worry, because the priest would guide him.
What a beautiful witness to see so many hundreds of people waiting to confess their sins. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is an important part of our Catholic faith. Lent is a period of time where we are to reflect on our lives and to rid ourselves of any unwanted bad behaviors. Nothing is more rewarding than being absolved of your sins. I imagine that choirs of angels are rejoicing in heaven when we confess our sins.
My Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we are a divided nation and the Enemy is rejoicing. Lord, open the hearts of those who are in the valley of decision. Pour Your loving Spirit upon their hearts. May we, Your people, kneel before Your crucified body and weep for our sins. Cleanse us of all our transgressions so that we may celebrate Your Glorious Resurrection. Amen!
On the Fourth Station of the Cross on the Via Dolorosa Jesus Meets His Mother.
Ramon Bayeu c. 1780 Our Lady of the Pillar
Jesus Meets His Mother
At the Third Station of the Cross Jesus falls for the first time. A few steps from there Jesus meets his mother. Our beautiful Blessed Mother Mary is with her Son every step of the way. This was the beginning of His agony. For this reason our Lord knew that He could draw strength from His Mother. The Bible does not tell us what words of encouragement Mary spoke to her Son. But we know that her words gave Jesus enough strength to endure until the end of His Crucifixion.
For many years I played the part of Mary on the Via Dolorosa. Our team reenacted the Passion of Christ in Jerusalem for over 30 years. I have absolutely no training in acting, but when it came to this role I felt our Blessed Mother Mary’s pain. My tears were real. As I reach to touch Jesus’ face to tell Him how much I love Him, my heart was truly breaking.
The Mother’s Role
As long as your children are alive, you will always be their mother. My children are grown and have families of their own; however, when they are experiencing any pain, emotional or physical, we go through the pain with them. My role has changed into being their silent support. Not a day passes without me lifting them up in prayer. When they are going through a difficult trial my prayers for them are fervent. These motherly instincts are innate because we mothers have the best role model in the Virgin Mary,
Mary, The Mother of God
I find it disingenuous that some people outside of the Catholic faith have yet to come to and understanding of Mary’s true role. Because she is the Mother of God, much credence should be given her. Consider Jesus’ opinion of His Blessed Mother; would He not take care of her? Would it offend Him if people spoke ill of her? Jesus loved, respected and protected His Mother. We should follow His example. The Virgin Mary is the mother to the world. She has appeared to many troubled nations to guide and instruct them and to forewarn them of coming chastisements. I will speak of the first apparition.
The Great Commission
With the authority of the Resurrected Christ the First Commission was sent forth.
Matthew 28:16-20 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Fr. Leonard venerating the statue given to Saint James by the Blessed MotherFr. Leonard preparing Mass in the Chapel of San Antonio at Our Lady of the Pillar Basilica
16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. 18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
The First Apparition
In 2015 our missionary group visited Zaragoza, Spain. This is the first known apparition of the Blessed Mother. At the Great Commission, the 12 disciples dispersed to preach the Gospel to the world. Saint James the Great’s journeys took him to the Iberian Peninsula, which is modern day Spain/Portugal. In 40 AD the Holy Spirit led Saint James to Spain. But before his great commission he met with Mary, the Mother of God, for a special blessing for his journey.
Saint James was discouraged because the pagans were not responding to his message, so as he sat at the edge of the Ebro River he prayed for the intercession of Mary. This is the same outspoken James that Jesus referred to as one of the “sons of thunder.” This clearly is an indication that at times we all need encouragement.
Answered Prayer
Saint James heard a choir of angels and, looking to the sky, he saw a bright light. With angels surrounding the Blessed Mother, she appeared to him to offer encouragement. In Her gentle voice She told Saint James not to worry, because the people to whom he preached would be converted. Mary appeared to Saint James atop a pillar of jasper carried by angels. Our holy Mother Mary handed Saint James a small wooden statue of herself holding the Christ Child. The date was October 12 in the year 40 AD, and the Blessed Mother asked that a church be built on that spot in her honor. In Mary’s words:
“This place is to be my house and the image and column shall be the title and altar of the temple that you shall build…and the people of this land will honor greatly my Son Jesus.”
We must take into account that this first apparition of the Virgin took place while she was still alive and living in Jerusalem. The Virgin’s bilocation to Zaragoza, Spain was meant to encourage Saint James on his mission. The Virgin also told Saint James to return to Jerusalem. In 44 AD Saint James was the first apostle to be martyred by King Herod Agrippa. His body was brought back to Spain for burial in Compostela, Spain.
Our Lady of the Pillar
This beautiful basilica is located on the edge of the Ebro River. This is the first church dedicated to Mary. This pillar was carried down by angels. It is still standing and scientists have yet to find the identical material made of this granite. Equally important the pillar plunges into the earth with no end. Coupled with the fact that this heavenly material never gets dusty, in the 2000 years of its existence it has never needed dusting!
Spanish Civil War
During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) Our Lady of the Pillar was bombed. Visitors can see the damage in the ceiling of the basilica but the bombs never detonated. Instead the deactivated bombs are on display in the church.
Veneration
The Pillar and the Statue of the Virgin Mary and Christ Child are both venerated. Like most pilgrims, we were able to touch the small statue that our Blessed Mother Mary gave to St. James.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, fill us with the same fire You gave Saint James to preach. May You season our words with love, and may we look to Your heavenly light. Lord, send Your beautiful Mother Mary to our aid when we are discouraged. Amen.
On Saturday I texted my friend Maria to solicit some aid for another friend, Gina, who is going to Arizona to do ministry work. Maria quickly responded with a positive reply, but ended the text by informing me that a mutual friend of ours needed prayer. I will call him John. John has cancer, an aggressive type of this dreaded disease.
John
In my heart, John is a member of my family; hearing this news brought me to tears. I met John when I started attending daily Mass. He was the sacristan for the 6:30 a.m. service. I knew that he also had the gift of interceding for others. A few years ago, my heart was aching for a family member and I needed prayer to keep from succumbing to defeat in order to focus on the miracles of God.
Spiritual Brother
When I approached John I was in tears, pleading my petition for his care. In that instance, he became my spiritual brother. He would pray for me and I would pray for his wife who was at that time going through cancer treatment. I prayed for her on a daily basis. John would update me on her condition and if the report was negative, I’d go deeper into prayer. Then COVID hit.
COVID
COVID did us all a great disservice. When our church closed its doors we were left without the Eucharist. This unhealthy mandate from our governor caused me great grief. I not only lost the freedom to attend daily Mass, I lost contact with all the early 6:30 a.m. Mass attendees, which included John. As I mentioned, John’s wife was going through cancer treatments; when COVID came because of her compromised health condition they stayed home.
Romans 12:4-5 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
4 For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.
One Body
The Word of God states that we are one body; therefore when someone is hurting, we feel their pain. A perfect example is if I wake up with a sore back, the rest of my body will be affected. My mind, my mood, my thinking will all join in this pain. But if I concentrate on prayer, it will definitely change the circumstances. The pain may still be there, but my mind is redirected. We cannot allow self-pity to take over because this will cause you to become self-absorbed. I know my friend John is trusting God through this horrific trial.
My Health Trials
In no way could I ever compare my small trial to what my friend John is going through. What I will convey is that all of our body parts are like the Church of Christ. If John reads this I want to bring humor to his weary heart.
I love to walk, but I don’t particularly like walking alone. I need a partner when I hit the pavement, so sometimes my husband Mike joins me on a walk. It is inevitable that as we age our bodies will change. The first indication of my deteriorating body started with the toe on my right foot.
Our 2015 pilgrimage group: Fr. Leonard Mary, Carlos (tour guide) me, Natalie, Cathryn, Jim, Joanne, Robert, Linda and Carol
This health issue reared its ugly head several years ago. So when I finally made an appointment with a podiatrist I was diagnosed with hammer toe. Hammer toe is a sneaky disorder, manifesting itself with unusual symptoms; but when it takes hold, it controls how you walk. As the worn-out toe compensates for dexterity, it curls up and causes imbalance. Many times I’d trip and sometimes I’d fall. I knew I had to correct this health issue, but I waited until I returned from a pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage
In 2015 our missionary group planned a trip. This was a special trip, and I was committed because I had already paid for it. I did not have time to plan a surgery and allow for six weeks of recovery. We were on a pilgrimage to visit holy sites where our Blessed Mother had appeared. First we went to France and then on to Spain. You can read about this journey in the Blog titled: The Marian Journey. I never mentioned my toe because so many more important things were taking place, like my wallet being stolen on the second day of the 14- day pilgrimage.
As much as I enjoyed the trip, my toe reminded me daily of how vulnerable I was. Every night I prayed, anointed my foot with holy oil, and doused it with holy water from Lourdes, but nothing was helping. To make matters worse, instead of going to a shoe store that specializes in comfortable footwear, I did the unthinkable. I purchased the most beautiful, fashionable, blue suede loafers. Those stupid shoes started to hurt me from the moment I put them on.
The French Pharmacist
With the little time in between our visits, I ran into a pharmacy. Using my hands and pointing to my feet I desperately attempted to explain my toe dilemma. “Ahh, yes, I show you,” said the petite pharmacist. The quick cure was a corn cover and the relief lasted maybe five minutes. So the moral of this story is that my entire body was overwhelmed by this pain.
We truly are one body. We need each other when we are going through trials because sometimes we are too weak, too tired or have simply given up because of our situation. This is when the rest of the body of Christ comes to petition and to intercede which allows us to rest. Those who you trust will carry the prayer to the throne of God. I will be doing that for John.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
12 As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, My heart is hurting for John and his family. I pray for a miracle healing in his body. Lord, nothing is impossible with You. Give John the special graces he needs to get through this trial; let him feel Your Holy Presence. Heavenly Father, I pray for all who are going through testing for their health. Be with them every step of their healing journey. Amen.
The fourth week of Lent is referred to as Laetare Sunday.
