From The Bishop

In the Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Lent we read this statement, “O God, who through your Word reconcile the human race to yourself in a wonderful way…â€�. One of the more wonderful ways he is able to do this is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Readings for this Sunday help us to deepen our appreciation of this Sacrament. In the Gospel Jesus and His disciples encounter a blind man. He was unable to see the world around him; however, he could still see his sinfulness. In contrast, the Pharisees could see everything except their own sins. This same condition exists today; many people fail to see their own sins. In the First Reading, the prophet Samuel is told by God that “the human looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.â€� In this context, the heart means something much more than simply emotions. It represents the core of our being and our primary orientation. We can easily operate on a very superficial level and never take the time to look deep within our hearts. For this reason we fail to see our sins. Going to confession helps us to examine our lives and not to remain on the surface. We go deep and find the things that are hidden in the darkness. We then take what we find and bring it to the light. In the Second Reading, St. Paul states, “Take no part in unfruitful works of darkness but expose them (to the light).â€� This is what we celebrate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We acknowledge those things (sins) that we have hidden in the darkness of our lives and expose them to the light of Christ. “Let us remember always that God never tires of forgiving us. Let us truly value this Sacrament and rejoice in the gift of pardon and healing that comes to us through the ministry of priests.â€� (Pope Francis) The Fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday. This title is taken from the first word of the Introit (Entrance Antiphon) of the Mass: Laetare, Jerusalem â€" Rejoice, Jerusalem. This Sunday marks the mid-way point of Lent and has traditionally been viewed as a day of celebration with less austerity in the liturgy. This is seen in the change of liturgical colour from purple to rose and in allowing flowers in the sanctuary and greater use of the organ during