“REJOICE, O JERUSALEM!

Why is the liturgy of Laetare Sunday exhorting the inhabitants of Jerusalem to rejoice? Why not: Rejoice, O Members of the Church?” In reality, that is precisely what is at the heart of todayÂ’s liturgy. Remember that a fundamental liturgical principle is that Old Testament texts are to be understood in a New Testament sense. The Church is the New People of God. We, who are the members of ChristÂ’s Body, are the New Jerusalem!

By invoking the cry of Isaiah to the Israelites in the Introit, the Church is crying out: “Catholics! Rejoice! Come together all you who love the Church, rejoice with her, you who have been in sorrow. Be filled with the consolation that comes from the breasts of the Mystical Body of Christ.

Laetare Sunday gives us a break from the penitential mode of Lent. The symbolism of the rose vestments means a middle ground between the somber violet and the jubilant white. Easter is in sight. Soon, we too will rise with Jesus from the death of sin to the eternal life of the Resurrection! We have been baptism into Christ Jesus, into His Mystical Body, which is the Church. Moreover, we are to be nourished in the Eucharistic Sacrifice with the Bread of Life. A further cause of our rejoicing, we have the holy Sacrament of Penance. Bishop Austin Vaughan, the deceased Auxiliary Bishop of New York called Confession, a “continuing Baptism.” We rejoice in the Church, in our Baptism, in the Holy Eucharist and in the continuing mercy of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of Penance.


In the Collect of the Mass, we pray: Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we who are justly afflicted for our deeds (our sins), may be relieved by the consolation of Thy grace.”

The Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians tells us of our deliverance from our sorry state of sin through the Sacraments of Baptism or through the Sacrament of Penance. The two sons of Abraham symbolize the two Testaments. Ishmael, the son of Agar, represents the Israelites as slaves to the Law of Moses. Isaac, the son of Sarah, represents the Gentiles whose faith makes them heirs of the promises of Christ.

The Gospel brings us even richer symbolisms. The miraculous multiplication of the loves and fishes is a sign of the Eucharist. Catholic life revolves around the Blessed Eucharist as Sacrifice and Sacrament. The Eucharist is the “source and the summit of all of the sacraments.

Finally, todayÂ’s magnificent liturgy is tied together in the Post Communion Prayer: “We are constantly filled with Thy holy mysteries, O merciful God. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may celebrate them with sincere homage and always receive them with steady faith.

Truly, the readings for Laetare Sunday are Lenten gems for our meditation.


Father Richard J. Rego

“REJOICE, O JERUSALEM!”

Why is the liturgy of Laetare Sunday exhorting the inhabitants of Jerusalem to rejoice? Why not: “Rejoice, O Members of the Church?” In reality, that is precisely what is at the heart of today’s liturgy. Remember that a fundamental liturgical principle is that Old Testament texts are to be understood in a New Testament sense. The Church is the New People of God. We, who are the members of Christ’s Body, are the New Jerusalem!

By invoking the cry of Isaiah to the Israelites in the Introit, the Church is crying out: “Catholics! Rejoice! Come together all you who love the Church, rejoice with her, you who have been in sorrow. Be filled with the consolation that comes from the breasts of the Mystical Body of Christ.”

Laetare Sunday gives us a break from the penitential mode of Lent. The symbolism of the rose vestments means a middle ground between the somber violet and the jubilant white. Easter is in sight. Soon, we too will rise with Jesus from the death of sin to the eternal life of the Resurrection! We have been baptism into Christ Jesus, into His Mystical Body, which is the Church. Moreover, we are to be nourished in today’s Eucharistic Sacrifice with the Bread of Life. A further cause of our rejoicing, we have the holy Sacrament of Penance. Bishop Austin Vaughan, the deceased Auxiliary Bishop of New York called Confession, a “continuing Baptism.” We rejoice in the Church, in our Baptism, in the Holy Eucharist and in the continuing mercy of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of Penance.


In the Collect of the Mass, we pray: “Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we who are justly afflicted for our deeds (our sins), may be relieved by the consolation of Thy grace.”

The Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians tells us of our deliverance from our sorry state of sin through the Sacraments of Baptism or through the Sacrament of Penance. The two sons of Abraham symbolize the two Testaments. Ishmael, the son of Agar, represents the Israelites as slaves to the Law of Moses. Isaac, the son of Sarah, represents the Gentiles whose faith makes them heirs of the promises of Christ.

This Sunday’s Gospel brings us even richer symbolisms. The miraculous multiplication of the loves and fishes is a sign of the Eucharist. Catholic life revolves around the Blessed Eucharist as Sacrifice and Sacrament. The Eucharist is the, “source and the summit of all of the sacraments.”

Finally, today’s magnificent liturgy is tied together in the Post Communion Prayer: “We are constantly filled with Thy holy mysteries, O merciful God. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may celebrate them with sincere homage and always receive them with steady faith.”

Truly, the readings for Laetare Sunday are Lenten gems for our meditation.


Father Richard J. Rego

“WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT!”

“My eyes are ever turned toward the Lord. It is He who will pluck me from the snare (of the devil). Look upon me Lord and have mercy.” Again the Introit sets the tone of today’s liturgy. We are in mortal and constant combat with the devil. He never rests; he always is, ”Seeking whom he may devour.” During Lent, his ferocity is even greater. He seeks to counter our penance and fasting with greater temptations.

In the Collect we pray: “We beseech Thee, O Almighty God, look upon the desires of the humble and stretch forth the right hand of your Majesty and come to our defense.”

Saint Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, exhorts us to: “Walk as children of Light!” Take the offensive. Do not sit by idly waiting for the next temptation. Do not let the devil have his way. Practice the virtues that Our Lord taught us. He delivered Himself up for us and will not let us be ravished by the evil one.

Saint Paul was never one to mince words. “Fornication and all impurities or covetousness should not even be mentioned among you as is becoming of the saints.” Don’t even talk about these things. These vices are not worthy of our Christian calling.

Then Paul throws down the gauntlet: “For know you this and understand it well, that no fornicator or unclean or covetous person, which is the serving of idols, has any inheritance of the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain and empty words. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the children of unbelief.” The Apostle leaves little room, if any, for the pendants and the analysts. We are responsible for our actions! “Walk then as children of the light; for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and truth.”

The Gospel portrays Our Lord’s open conflict with Satan. He disarms him and wins complete victory over him. Jesus then gives us the final challenge: “He who is not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me, scatters.”

My friends, there is no room in between. We are either with Christ by turning away from sin and putting on the virtues or we are not. Let us walk with Christ and not with the Satan. Let us truly walk as children of the light and not as sons of darkness. Have mercy on us Lord, have mercy!


Father Richard J. Rego

“NOT ON BREAD ALONE SHALL MAN LIVE!"

One this First Sunday of Lent, the ancient liturgy leads us into the desert with Jesus. Our Divine Savior had fasted for forty days and forty nights. Exhausted, hungry, His throat burning with thirst, He allowed Himself to be tempted three times by the evil one.

The devil! Satan! Make no mistake! He exists! He is a real person who is our mortal enemy. The devils have one solitary goal, the eternal ruin of every human person in hell. Saint Peter warns: "“Be on your guard. Your adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking anyone who he may devour." It was for this reason that Pope Leo XIII mandated that the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel must be recited after every Mass. In dealing with Satan, Jesus has taught us an essential lesson. The devil is a liar! He is: "The father of lies and the truth is not in him."

The first temptation, as recorded by Saint Matthew in today’s Gospel, was an appeal to the social order. "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn to bread." In other words, Satan tempted Jesus to be a social redeemer, a bread king and nothing more. He would have been delighted to reduce Our Divine Savior'’s mission to making this a better world in a purely materialistic sense. Satan wanted to obliterate Our Lord’s real mission, the Redemption! The Mission of the Messiah was to atone to the Heavenly Father for the sins of the world.

Satan knew that the Cross of Calvary would end his dreadful dominion over man, which began with the sin of our First Parents. Christ'’s victory would come on Calvary. Thus, Satan tempted Our Lord to forget the Cross. "That is not what the people want," ” was the clear call. "“Give the people bread so that they can fill their bellies. Improve the economy! Then they will follow you. They want no part of the Cross."” Our Lord's answer was clear and precise: "Scripture has it, `Not on bread alone shall man live."”

Next, the devil took Our Lord on a high hill and showed him all of the kingdoms of this world. "“To you I will give all these kingdoms and their glory." Satan then added this frightening note: "For they are mine and I will give them to whom I will." Mine and I will give them to you! The price! "“If you then will worship me, they shall all be yours." Again, Our Blessed Savior responded scripturally: "Scripture has it, `you shall love the Lord your God; Him alone shall you adore."

Satan tempts us in the same manner. He shows us the riches of this world. He tempts us by the lure of money, the pride of life, and the lust of the flesh. All these things can be ours, he promises. The price is the same, sin! This is precisely the reason that Saint John tells us that the love of God is not in the man who loves this world.

For the final temptation, Satan leads Our Lord to Jerusalem and set him on the parapet of the temple. "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for Scripture has it, `He will bid the angels watch over you"; and again, `With their hands they will support you that you will never stumble on a stone." Satan does not hesitate to use Scripture to achieve his evil ends.

The evil one wanted to reduce Our Lord to a wonder worker. This is the same temptation employed by the wicked Herod to taunt Jesus. He wanted Jesus to work some wonders so as to entertain him. Satan was telling Jesus, to give the people what they wanted. "“Spend all of your time healing the sick. You can even raise the dead, if you wish. Work miracles! Entertain them! Then they will follow you. Give them what they want and then you will be popular and win them over." Jesus said: "“Be gone, Satan! Scripture has it: `you shall do homage to the Lord your God; Him alone shall you adore."

Let it be clear that Jesus Christ could not have sinned because His nature was divine. However, by submitting Himself to the devil'’s temptations, Our Divine Savior was teaching us not to be attached to the things of this world. As he would tell Pilate: "“My Kingdom is not of this world."” He was teaching us also how to resist temptation. Do not enter into dialogue with the devil, as Eve did in the garden. When we are tempted, immediately, we should repeat the words of Our Blessed Lord: "BE GONE SATAN!"” Saint James says: "Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

May Our Blessed Mother, the Refuge of Sinners and the Gate of Heaven, help us in our constant conflict with Satan and his evil temptations.



Father Richard J. Rego, S.T.L.