Rev.
Fr. Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year
FOURTH
SUNDAY IN LENT (LAETARE)
The Introit of this day's
Mass, which begins with the word Laetare, is as follows:
INTROIT
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. (Isai: LXVI. 10. 11.)
I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into
the house of the Lord. (Ps. CXXI. 1.) Glory be to the Father, etc.
COLLECT
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God,
that we who justly suffer for our deeds
may be relieved by the consolation of
Thy grace. Through etc.
EPISTLE
(Gat. IV. 22-31.) 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
It was the common custom, in the days
of the patriarchs, for a man to have more
than one wife. This was permitted by God,
partly because they and their descendants
would hardly have been satisfied with
one marriage, (Matt. XIX. 8.) partly because
bigamy was a means of promoting the increase
of the people of Israel, typical of the
future increase of the children of God.
Thus Abraham had two wives, who had each
a son; of these Ismael was born to Abraham
from his bond-woman Agar, in the natural
way; the other, Isaac, the son of the
free wife Sara, was born in a supernatural
manner according to the promise, (Gen.
XVIII. 11. 14. ) that she by the grace
of God, although aged, would give birth
to a son. These two women with their sons
were types, as St. Paul says, of the two
Testaments: Agar the bond-woman typified
the Old, Sara, the free-woman, the New
Testament; the son of Agar, the Jews,
the son of Sara, the Christians; for the
Jews, like Ismael, are descendants of
Abraham by natural descent, but the Christians,
like Isaac, by grace. The Old Testament
gave birth only to servants; for the Jews
obeyed the commandments of God through
fear of punishment, and in hope of temporal
reward; the New Testament, the Jerusalem
from above, that is, the Christian Church,
gives birth to children who willingly
and through love obey the commandments
of God. Although the Christian Church,
the New Jerusalem, chosen from heathenism,
was in the beginning barren, as was Sara,
she gives birth, by the grace of God and
through His apostles, to more children
than the Jewish Church, which was so long
the Church of God, that is, more were
converted to Christianity from the Gentiles
than from the Jews. The latter even hated
and persecuted the Christians, as did
Ismael his brother Isaac. For their hardness
of heart they were cast out by God, like
Agar and her son; that is, after the destruction
of Jerusalem the Jews were dispersed to
all parts of the world. Let us, therefore,
give thanks to God, that through Jesus
we have become the free children of our
heavenly Father, who through love fulfil
His holy will by which we shall be saved.
ASPIRATION
Give me the grace, O Jesus, that by prayer and fasting, and patience
in all adversities and persecutions, I may be made less unworthy
of Thy passion; that I may not, one day, be cast out by Thee, but
become worthy of Thy divine promise and Thy eternal consolation
in the heavenly Jerusalem.
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:
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 set 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, therefore, 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 try St. Philip?
To test his
faith and confidence; to instruct us that before seeking supernatural
means, we should first look for natural ways of providing; that
the miracle of the multiplying of the loaves should be more marvellous
to the people from having seen there was no provision; and that
we may learn to trust in God, who is a helper in due time in tribulation.
(Ps. IX. 10.)
What
signs did Christ make use of in this miracle, and why?
According to
St. Matthew (XIV. 19.) He lifted up His eyes to heaven, by which
He showed that all good gifts come from above; He gave thanks, thus
teaching us to give thanks to God for all His blessings. "The
table," says St. Chrysostom, "that is approached and is
left with prayer will never know want, but the more richly yield
its gifts." He blessed the bread showing us that the divine
blessing increases all things.
Why
did Christ require them to gather up the fragments that were left?
That they should
not be wasted or destroyed; that the greatness of the miracle should
be made evident by the quantity of the fragments; and that we might
learn to honor the gifts of God, even the most insignificant, and
if we do not ourselves need them, give them to the poor.
Why
did Christ, after this miracle, flee from the people?
Because after
this miracle the people recognized in him the Messiah, and would
have made Him king. He wished to teach us to flee from praise and
honor, and in all our actions seek not our own, but God's glory.
CONSOLATION
IN POVERTY
This
gospel gives the account of Christ providing
for those who followed and listened to
Him, which is indeed consoling for the
poor. God from the beginning of the world
has always cared for His own. For the
aid and comfort of His chosen people in
time of famine God sent Joseph, the son
of the Patriarch Jacob, in advance into
Egypt: (Gen. XLV. 5.) for forty years
He fed the children of Israel in the desert
with bread from heaven; (Deut. VIII. 2.
3.) He fed the Prophet Elias by a raven;
(III Kings VII. 6.) and thought of Daniel
in the lions' den. (Dan. XIV. 37.) In
the New Testament God shows His merciful
care for His own, because in great need
He fed them marvelously through angels,
men, and even animals, as we frequently
see in the lives of the saints. Truly
has David said: God forsakes not the just,
I have been young, and am now old: and
I have not seen the just forsaken, nor
his seed seeking bread, (PS. XXXVI. 25.)
that is, one who sincerely serves Him,
and seeks before all the kingdom of God
and His Justice, as Christ commands. (Luke
XII. 31.) Strive to be a faithful child,
and you will have God for your father,
and with King David you can cast your
care upon the Lord, and He will sustain
you. You must not think it is enough to
pray and trust in God, He demands that
you should use your strength to receive
help, for if any man will not work, neither
let him eat. (II Thess. III. 10.)
ASPIRATION
In Thy omnipotence and goodness, O my God, I put my trust, firmly
believing that if I fear Thee, serve Thee faithfully, and avoid
evil, I shall not be abandoned in poverty, but receive many good
things. Amen.
INSTRUCTION
ON PREPARATION FOR EASTER
Now the Pasch
the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. (John VI. 4.)
If
we would sing a joyful Alleluia with the
Church on the festival of Easter, we must
fulfill her desire, and prepare ourselves
to celebrate it worthily. Therefore, we
should shun improper, clamorous meetings,
and retire often to pray in solitude,
especially to meditate on the bitter sufferings
of our Saviour, for when man is alone,
God speaks to his heart. (Osee. II. 14.)
We should carefully examine our conscience,
and consider how we stand before God,
for upon this day shall be the expiation
for you, and the cleansing from all your
sins: you shall be cleansed before the
Lord; for it is a Sabbath of rest, and
you shall afflict your souls, that is,
by fasting, watching, and praying. (Lev.
XVI. 30-31.) From this Sunday until Easter
we should fast more strictly, give more
alms to the poor if we are able, or if
poor ourselves, bear our poverty more
patiently, offering it to Christ in union
with His poverty, His hunger, thirst,
etc. ; we should make a sincere and contrite
confession, and purify our heart from
the old leaven of iniquity, that we may
keep the Easter meal with Christ in the
unleavened bread of purity and truth.
(I Cor. V. 7. 8.) For this end we should
incite ourselves to holy desires, rise
from sin, which is the death of the soul.
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