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Laetare Sunday

Laetare Sunday is the fourth, or middle, Sunday of Lent, so called from the first words of the Opening Prayer (Introit) at Mass, from Isaiah 66:10, from the Latin, "Laetare, Jerusalem" — Rejoice, O Jerusalem.  We are at a half-way stage in Lent and special signs of joy are permitted in the liturgy on this day, intended to encourage the faithful in their course through this season of penance.  Like Gaudete Sunday in Advent, rose-coloured vestments are allowed, instead of purple, and flowers are displayed on the altar. The contrast between Laetare and the other Sundays of Lent is thus emphasized, emblematic of the God-given joys of this life. 

Today's Gospel:

John 3: 14-21

God sent his Son into the world so that through him the world might be saved

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘The Son of Man must be lifted up
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.
Yes, God loved the world so much
that he gave his only Son,
so that’everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.
No one who believes in him will be condemned;
but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already,
because he has refused to believe
in the name of God’s only Son.
On these grounds is sentence pronounced:
that though the light has come into the world
men have shown they prefer
darkness to the light
because their deeds were evil.
And indeed, everybody who does wrong
hates the light and avoids it,
for fear his actions should be exposed;
but the man who lives by the truth
comes out into the light, .
so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.