Fourth Sunday in Lent
BY the Introit of the Mass the Church reminds us of the joys of heaven, to encourage us to persevering zeal in penance and fasting, and to patience under persecution, crosses, and sorrows.
The Introit of the Mass begins with the word Laetare (rejoice), from which the Sunday derives its name: “Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and come together, all you that love her. Rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow, that you may exult and be filled from the breasts of your consolation. I was glad at the things that were said unto me : we shall go into the house of the Lord.” Glory be to the Father, etc.
Prayer.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Almighty God, that we, who are afflicted for our deeds as we deserve, may be relieved by the comfort of Thy grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, etc.
EPISTLE. Gal. iv. 23-31.
Brethren : It is written that Abraham had two sons : the one by a bond-woman, and the other by a free-woman : but he who was of the bond-woman was born according to the flesh : but he of the free-woman was by promise : which things are said by an allegory : for these are the two testaments. The one from Mount Sina engendering unto bondage : which is Agar : for Sina is a mountain in Arabia, which hath affinity to that Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But that Jerusalem which is above is free, which is our mother. For it is written : Rejoice thou barren, that bearest not : break forth and cry, thou that travailest not ; for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband. Now, we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he, that was born according to the flesh, persecuted him that was after the spirit : so also it is now. But what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman. So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bond-woman, but of the free : by the freedom wherewith Christ hath made us free.
Explanation.
The Jews, typified by Agar, served God like servants, from fear of punishment and in the hope of rewards. Christians, typified by Sara, lift up their hands to Him as their Father, and if they fulfil His will faithfully will become partakers of His glory in heaven.
Prayer.
O Jesus, grant that by fasting, prayer, and patience under persecution I may partake in Thy sufferings, and be found worthy of Thy divine promises and Thy eternal consolations in the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen.
GOSPEL. John vi. 1-15.
At that time : Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias: and a great multitude followed Him, because they saw the miracles which He did on them that were diseased. Jesus therefore went up into a mountain : and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Pasch, the festival-day of the Jews, was near at hand. When Jesus therefore had lifted up His eyes, and seen that a very great multitude cometh to Him, He said to Philip: Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this He said to try him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him : Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little. One of His disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to Him : There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves, and two fishes : but what are these among so many ? Then Jesus said : Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves ; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to them that were sat down: in like manner also of the fishes as much as they would. And when they were filled, He said to His disciples : Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost. They gathered up there fore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten. Now those men, .when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said : This is of a truth the prophet that is to come into the world. Jesus therefore, when He knew that they would come to take Him by force and make Him king, fled again into the mountain Himself alone.
Why did Christ thus try St. Philip?
1.To try his faith and confidence. 2. To teach us to make use of natural and ordinary means before we have recourse to the supernatural. 3. So that the miracle would be the more striking to the people, when they were satisfied that the provisions they had were quite small and insufficient. 4. That we might have confidence in God, Who is a helper in time of tribulation (Ps. ix. 10).
What ceremonies did Our Saviour use at this miracle, and why?
He first looked up to heaven, to remind us that every good gift comes from above, and that it is God only Who opens His hand, and fills all with benediction. 2. He thanked His heavenly Father, to show us that we also should be careful to t thank God for all His benefits. The table, says St. Chrysostom, which begins and ends with prayer shall never know want. 3.He blessed the bread that we might learn that it is the blessing of God which gives success.
Why did Jesus flee after this miracle?
1.To teach us to seek not the admiration and applause of men, but only the glory of God and he good of our neighbor.
2.To love solitude; that, far from the noise of the world, we may with more freedom converse with God.
Consolation in Poverty.
To those poor who follow Christ this gospel is full of consolation, as it shows that from the very beginning of the world God has cared for His children. For the comfort and preservation of His chosen people He sent Joseph before them into Egypt (Gen. xlv. 5 ; Ps. civ. 4). He sustained the children of Israel during forty years in the wilderness with bread from heaven (Deut. Viii). He fed the prophet Elias, sending him bread and flesh by a raven (in. Kings xvii. 6). He remembered lying in the lions den (Dan. xiv. 37). In the New Testament also God has shown His care for His own by nourishing and feeding them in their greatest need, at times through the instrumentality of animals, at other times by that of angels and of men, as we read in the lives of the saints.
Aspiration.
In Thy power and goodness, O my God, I put my trust. I firmly believe if I fear Thee, and do what is right, I shall, though poor here, after this life have abundance of good things from Thee.
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Next: Monday in the Fourth Week of Lent
