The Fourth Sunday of Lent

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, we are profiling a day that acts like a splash of cold water on a tired face. Imagine you have been walking through a long gray tunnel for weeks. It's quiet. It's solemn. You've been focusing hard on serious things. Penance, sacrifice, giving things up.

Then suddenly, you turn a corner, and there's a burst of color. The silence is broken by music. It is the fourth Sunday of Lent, better known as Laetare Sunday. You know that during Lent, the vibe in the church is usually pretty reserved. We are focusing on the suffering and salvific death of Christ. It's a serious time. But if you walk into Mass on this specific Sunday, the building itself has been transformed. Look at the priest. Is he wearing purple? No, he's wearing rose-colored vestments.

Look at the altar. For weeks, it might have been bare, but today, the flowers have returned. Listen to the air around you. The organ, which stays quiet or subdued during much of Lent, is allowed to be played with full force once again.

Why? What is going on? This is the midpoint. We have made it halfway through the Lenten season, and because we have made it this far, the church says, stop, breathe, rejoice. This quotes the prophet Isaiah, chapter 66, saying, Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her. It is a command to be happy. Even though we are in a season of penance, on this day, we remember that we are ultimately a resurrection people. We remember that Christ has already conquered death.

That victory is a cause for rejoicing right now, even before we get to Easter. Now, you were promised a fascinating and dramatic backstory, and this day definitely has one. Back in the days of the Holy Roman Empire, this Sunday was a major event for kings and queens. On Laetare Sunday, the Pope would perform a very specific royal tradition. He would take a rose made of pure gold, a golden rose, and bless it. He wouldn't keep it, though. The Pope would send this blessed golden rose to a Catholic monarch or sovereign as a sign of favor and esteem.

Because of this golden tradition, this day picked up a very cool nickname, Dominica de Rosa, or Sunday of the Rose. So, when you see that pink or rose-colored vestment on your priest today, don't just think of it as a color. Think of it as a connection to the Holy Roman Empire, and a golden rose blessed by the Pope himself.

But today isn't just about gold and empires. The scripture for this day speaks of Jerusalem, but it uses very tender imagery. It describes Jerusalem as a mother. The prophet Isaiah says, For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts. You will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.

Just like a mother comforts her children, the Church comforts us today. She tells us that we will be satisfied and delighted by her abundance. After weeks of fasting and discipline, the Church acts as a mother offering a moment of comfort and refreshment to her children. It is fitting on this day to actually rest. The Church invites us to take a break from the strict penance of Lent and take a moment to just rejoice in Christ's assured victory. We need this fuel, because right after this, we enter the solemn final stretch of these 40 days.

Here is your challenge for the day. Take a break to rejoice. It is fitting to rest from the penance of Lent today. If you have been grimly marching through Lent, focusing only on the hard stuff, change your focus today. Look for the rose. When you go to Mass, look for the rose vestments and the flowers. Let them remind you that the resurrection is coming. Be a resurrection person. Do something that brings genuine, pure joy to your family today. The text says we are a resurrection people.

Show that. Don't be gloomy today. Smile. Laugh. Play music. Before you tackle the final hard weeks of Lent, take a moment to rest in the victory of Jesus. Christ has conquered death. That is worth celebrating. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.