"Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people." Isaiah 65: 18-19
The Spirit of Laetare: We are in the fourth week of Lent, and passed the midway point of our Lenten journey, so there's room for rejoicing! The week begins with Laetare Sunday, and the rejoicing of the Father upon the return of his wayward son (Luke 15: 11-32), and continues this week with Isaiah's joyful tone in Isaiah 65: 17-21 (quoted above), and the healing of a royal official's son in John 4: 43-54. We celebrate Ezeiel's vision, and the water of life flowing from the Temple to fortify the land so as to bear much fruit (Ezekiel 47: 1-9, 12), and the healing of yet another in John 5: 1-16 (but this time on the Sabbath to make things interesting). And finally, we join the Psalmist as we acclaim that "the Lord is good to all!" (Psalm 145: 8-9)
While Lent is not meant to be a season of JOY, it does have its joyful tone, now and then, to remind us that all of this journeying is worth it! We can all come home and "rejoice with our Father! We are all healed in the loving presence of our Lord! We can all be fortified by the living water of our God, so as to bear much fruit to a world that desperately needs its nourishment. And we can all do our part, working for the good of others, so as to affirm that the Lord is kind and merciful!
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