4th Sunday in Lent-- March 30th, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today, the Fourth Sunday of our Lenten journey, we intensify our hope in the resurrection of Jesus and of our participation in His resurrection, both here and now and in the life to come in heaven. This joy of hope fulfilled in the resurrection is put in a word, “Laetare,” that is “Rejoice.” This Sunday sets the tone of joyful anticipation of the Easter mystery, and rose-colored vestments are permitted today. This theme of “Laetare” is taken from Isaiah 66:10-11, “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 – So that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink with delight at her abundant breasts!” It is we, the baptized, who come to the Lord to be nourished and satisfied. It is we, the baptized and the elect, who come to our mother, the Church, to be nourished and satisfied through the sacraments. This rejoicing is visible in all the children and teens who just approached the Sacrament of Confession for the first time. Lent is a season of penance and conversion and all those reconciled to God begin their first steps of a life away from sin and turn towards God once again. To each child I said, “your sins are forgiven. You have been found. Go in peace.” I was able to see their eyes open wide and flashing a smile. The joy of being close to Jesus. They are all the more closer to the Easter season when they will receive their First Holy Communion. They are all excited. Also, the Catechumens, who we now call the Elect, are going through their second scrutiny and are closer to the Easter celebration on Holy Saturday when they will step into the waters of Baptism and be clothed with Christ and anointed in the Holy Spirit and receive the Eucharist for the first time. The adults and teenagers who have been preparing for their Confirmation and some, their first Holy Communion as well, during this Easter season in May; they are also rejoicing. We too, who have already been fully initiated in the faith through Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist, and striving to live out our faith in this world, will renew our own Baptismal promises on Easter Sunday. All of us, together, have been on this journey through the desert. When we arrive to the end of Lent will we have accomplished something. Have we conquered our sinful pride? Have we allowed the gospels to teach our hearts to love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves? For most of us, we will be mourning our failure to accomplish what we set out to do on Ash Wednesday. We will be able to identify, all too well, with the apostles who fell asleep while Jesus went through his agony in the garden. We will arrive to the cross on Good Friday realizing that we deserve the cross that Jesus accepted on our behalf. Yes, we will be able to rejoice, though sinners, that Jesus did this for me. Jesus did this for us. If we have fallen already in this Lenten journey let us allow Jesus to dust us off and stand back up and begin again. Jesus is patiently waiting for us. May our merciful Lord embrace you and give you the grace to accept the cross, which is our  complete self-giving to the Father through our love and        fidelity.


Fr. Steven Guitron 
Pastor