Halfway Through Lent

This past Sunday was the Fourth Sunday of Lent, which the Church celebrates as the turning point of the Lenten season. Our journey is now halfway through. If our Lenten fasting has been strenuous, now is the time for a little celebration; if we still haven't quite hit our stride, now is a good time to redouble our efforts, starting with Confession. St. John Chrysostom, in a famous homily which is read in Eastern Orthodox and many Eastern Rite Catholic churches on Easter, reminds us that it is never too late to get our spiritual house in order--both the man who has fasted from the beginning of Lent and the one who only fasts for a day or so at the end share in the joy of Easter.

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is traditionally called Laetare Sunday, after the first word of the Introit (the entrance antiphon) in Latin. The Church celebrates it by allowing priests to wear rose vestments (instead of the usual Lenten purple) and to recite the Creed, which has been omitted since Ash Wednesday. Laetare means "Rejoice," and the Introit (drawn from Isaiah 66:10-11) expresses our joy:

Rejoice, Jerusalem! Be glad for her, you who love her; rejoice with her, you who mourned for her, and you will find contentment at her consoling breasts.