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Why is today, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, called “Laetare” Sunday? The name comes from the first words of the Entrance Antiphon for Mass, “Laetare Jerusalem” — “Rejoice, O Jerusalem”. The fourth Sunday marks the half-way point of the Lenten season, even though the Thursday before Laetare Sunday is the actual middle day of Lent.

Lenten fasting is a cornerstone of Lent and rediscovering traditional Catholic fasting for Lent is making a comeback. The Lenten Fast began under the Apostles themselves and was practiced in various forms. St. Augustine in the fourth century remarked, “Our fast at any other time is voluntary; but during Lent, we sin if we do not fast.” At the time of St. Gregory the Great at the beginning of the 7th century, the fast was universally established to begin on what we know as Ash Wednesday. While the name “Ash Wednesday” was not given to the day until Pope Urban II in 1099, the day was known as the “Beginning of the Fast.”

In the Gospel account of the Transfiguration which is read today, the 2nd Sunday in Lent, Jesus takes three of his closet companions with Him up the mountain. The outcome is miraculous. Their Savior is speaking with the representatives of the entire faith of Israel - Moses and Elijah. Moses was believed to have single handedly written the Law; Elijah represented all the Prophets. His disciples must have remembered Jesus saying that he came not to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill. Peter experienced this moment with great awe.

Ready or not, welcome to Lent! On Friday nights in Lent, the Catholic Church of St. Mary the Virgin, like the vast majority of Catholic Church’s all over the world, will walk the Stations of the Cross, beginning at 6:00 PM, ending with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and followed by a meatless meal at @ 6:45 PM. (There is a sign up sheet about these meatless meals in the Narthex by the Baby Bottle display.) We will have our usual Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Fridays in Lent. Confessions during Lent are heard from 4:00 - 4:55PM (as per usual) and then, after the closing prayers and transfer of the Sacrament from the Monstrance at 5:00PM, Confessions will also be heard from 5:10PM - 5:55PM before Stations and Benediction.