Laetare! Rejoice! The Fourth Sunday of Lent!

Stained Glass by Kessler Studios

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is sometimes called Laetare Sunday. The word Laetare is the first word in the chant entrance song for this day's liturgy. Vesture today is colored rose and signals the half-way mark of Lenten penance and preparation for celebrating Easter. Here's a recording of the Laetare chant followed by the text in Latin and English.

Laetare, Jerusalem:
Rejoice, O Jerusalem:
et conventum facite omnes qui diligitis eam:
and come together all you that love her:
gaudete cum laetitia, quia in tristitia fuistis:
rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow:
ut exsultetis,
that you may exult,
et satiemini ab uberibus consolationis vestrae.
and be filled from the breasts of your consolation.
- Laetatus sum in his, quae dicta sunt mihi:
- I rejoiced at the things that were said to me:
in domum Domini ibimus.
we shall go into the house of the Lord.
Gloria Patri . . .
Glory to the Father . . .
- Laetare, Jerusalem . . .2009lentpostc
- Rejoice, O Jerusalem . . . .

-ConcordPastor