On this 4th Sunday of Lent, as we proceed deeper into our faith, we get to know more and more who we are as Christians, and what we believe as Catholics. This is also Laetare Sunday. Last Sunday, the readings brought us the Ten Commandments. This Sunday, we heard of the love that God has for us, and the way that He has shown us this love, through His Son. Let us now reflect on this reality, as we reflect on the Gospel.
“For God so loved the world that He gave us His only-begotten Son”: this is what we have heard in the Gospel. We need to realize that behind the Ten Commandments, behind the moral law that we have been given, behind our liturgy, behind our concern for our neighbour, behind our devotion to the saints and angels, stands a Person. That Person is God. That Person is a Divine Person, whose name is Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. He is sent by God the Father. As St. John Chrysostom says, “He who is without end, or beginning of existence, Infinite Greatness, loved those who were of earth and ashes, creatures laden with sins innumerable” (Catena aurea, vol. 4, pg. 94, 2014). Yes, we are of earth and ashes, with sins innumerable, and it is good for us to be reminded of this fact. On Ash Wednesday, as we began Lent, we were marked with ashes. And yet, despite the fact that we are dust and ashes, God loves us, and loves the entirety of creation. As we observe the Ten Commandments, as we observe the moral law, as we offer liturgical worship, we need to keep in mind always that we do this for a Person. Every one of our good acts is a personal act, because we do it for Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was given for us, so that, as the Gospel says, “everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Without Christ, without faith in Christ, we are at risk of perishing. As St. John Chrysostom says, “Let us remember that there are two advents of Christ: one past, the other to come. The former was not to judge but to pardon us; the latter will be, not to pardon but to judge us” (Catena aurea, vol. 4, pg. 94, 2014). Collectively and individually we need Jesus to raise us up out of our innumerable sins. France has just enshrined the right to abortion in its constitution, and will now push other countries in Europe to follow suit. In response, we need to say, “Lord have mercy” for this march of death for innocent children. We say “Lord have mercy” for the people who have been aborted, who have been euthanized, in our country, our province, and here, in our own town. Lord have mercy.
On this Laetare Sunday, we rejoice and give thanks for the means of salvation that God has given us. As the Gospel says, “The one who believes in him is not condemned.” The one who believes and acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God, and tries to follow His teaching, is not condemned. The path marked out for us is the path of Jesus Christ. St. Catherine of Siena, a great saint of the Church, heard these words of God the Father: “I want you to look at the Bridge, that I have built for you in my only Son, and that you contemplate His grandeur which goes from heaven to earth…This was necessary to restore the path that was broken, as I told you, and allow you to cross the bitterness of the world, to reach life” (https://dailygospel.org/AM/gospel/2024-03-10). I would really encourage you this week to contemplate the face of Christ. Maybe in the Blessed Sacrament, as you come for adoration. May be you could contemplate His face in a favourite picture that you have, or a favourite painting. The parish calendar for the month of March brings us the Shroud of Turin, and has a beautiful prayer to the Holy Face. Maybe some of you will contemplate the face of Jesus in someone who is poor, sick, or abandoned. Our Lord Jesus is the source of our joy, and His face is a face that saves us, poor sinners.
On Saturday morning, we had an unexpected event. Before 8:00 a.m., a vehicle left the roadway on the curve in front of the church, went on the lawn, and drove into the side of St. Mary’s building of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College (the old health unit). I heard a loud bang and, together with Brother Grzegorz, went out to see what happened. Ambulance, police, and our own volunteer fire department all attended the scene. The vehicle that left the roadway narrowly missed a power pole, and damaged a car that was parked on the College parking lot. However, thankfully, no one was sent to hospital. Potentially, the accident could have been much worse. There could have been people out on the sidewalk enjoying a walk before Saturday’s rain, or people milling around the College building, playing basketball. As some of you may know, Saturday was the memorial of St. Frances of Rome. And, as Brother Grzegorz pointed out to me, Saint Frances of Rome is the patron saint of car drivers. Pope Pius XI declared her as the patron saint of motorists in 1925 because of the angel that went ahead of her and protected her. So, we thank St. Frances of Rome for her prayers, intercession, and protection.
In closing, we turn to Mary the Mother of God, asking that she may help us to contemplate the Holy Face of her Son. He is the bridge between heaven and earth. He is the one who brings us across the valley of tears, and He is the one who allows us to experience joy, not only on this Laetare Sunday, but also in other moments of our life. And may good St. Francis of Rome pray for us.
(Fr. Paweł Ratajczak, OMI, March 10, 2024)