On this weeks programme as we journey through the joyous holy season of Lent, we provide a pause moment on this weeks programme to reflect on the Stations of the Cross with reflections from fourteen contributors aged from 7 to 77 on this traditional Lenten devotion. We also have music and prayer spaces from the Divine Mercy Conference which was held in Dublin recently.
You can listen to the podcast of the full programme HERE.
Sunday is Laetare Sunday, also known as Mothering Sunday (Mother's Day in Ireland), Refreshment Sunday, Mid-Lent Sunday (in French mi-carême), and Rose Sunday (either because the golden rose sent by the popes to Catholic sovereigns used to be blessed at this time or because the use of rose-colored vestments instead of violet ones was permitted). Historically it was also once known as "the Sunday of the Five Loaves," from the traditional Gospel reading for the... day, the story of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, which was, before the adoption of the modern "common" lectionaries, the Gospel reading for this Sunday in the Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Old Catholic churches. Laetare, a Latin word, means to Rejoice and it takes its name from the Opening antiphon which we hear in Mass this Sunday «Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her, rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult.'
The Stations of the Cross
This week we reflect on the Stations of the Cross, the traditional Franciscan devotion which has spread from the Holy Land around the world to walk the journey of Jesus during his Passion in Jerusalem to Calvary and to the tomb.
This week we have a number of contributors reflecting on the Stations of the Cross with some original pieces, others reading reflections on the Stations composed by Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP.
You can listen to this weeks reflections excerpted from the main programme HERE. If you wish to get a copy of a cd of these recordings, please do not hesitate to contact any member of the SS102fm team.
Over the last number of years, SS102fm has done a number of programmes on the Stations of the Cross and we have post various reflections on the Stations individually on the blog also including previous years reflections from Rome as well as a series of reflections which we asked contributors to make in 2012.
The 2012 series of blog reflections on the Stations of the Cross are here.
Our recording of Mary's Stations of the Cross from 2013 is here.
Gospel - Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable:
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him,‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”
Reflections on this weeks gospel:
Liturgical odds & ends
Liturgy of the Hours: psalter week 4; 4th week of Lent
Saints of the Week (as commemorations during Lent)
March 12th - Feria
