Quinquagesima sermon: a program for Lent

Posted on 15 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Here is a sermon for Quinquagesima.

I propose something for your Lent.

Quinquagesima: sermon [ 17:31 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2047)

Moreover, it was a dreadful mistake to excise the pre-Lenten Sundays from the Church’s post-Conciliar calendar.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
This entry was posted in Sermons. Bookmark the permalink.

13 Responses to Quinquagesima sermon: a program for Lent

  1. wanda says:
    15 February 2010 at 9:55 am

    Thank you, Father. Enjoyed your podcast. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard it said quite this way, that all of us are the blind man who seeks healing from the Son of David. I pray to have a deeper experience of Lent this year, a grown up experience. Your podcast sets me on the path to do so, the path to Jerusalem.

  2. augustinianheart says:
    15 February 2010 at 9:56 am

    I would not at all be surprised to see the pre-Lenten Sundays return to the Roman Calendar in the coming years. I hope so. It seems to be one of those areas where we can learn from the East – or better yet, learn from our own Western tradition.

  3. dcs says:
    15 February 2010 at 10:08 am

    Reverend and Dear Fr. Zuhlsdorf,

    Thank you for recording your great sermon for Quinquagesima Sunday. I tried to describe it to my wife, who was home taking care of our youngest, and could not do it justice.

  4. Tiber89 says:
    15 February 2010 at 10:35 am

    Fr.
    Thank you for taking the time to podcast your sermon! Unfortunately,I would never hear this in my parish…especially since it is a challenge and not simply a reflection…Thanks for the direction as I begin my Lenten journey!

  5. irishgirl says:
    15 February 2010 at 10:48 am

    Good sermon, Father Z! Wasn’t able to get to Mass yesterday because I have no car. So I read the readings from my missal instead.

  6. Melania says:
    15 February 2010 at 10:59 am

    Thank you for podcasting your sermon and for the challenge to have a more adult Lent. I would like to encourage you to record more of your sermons. I hope you’re enjoying your stay at Mater Ecclesiae.

  7. Father Ignotus says:
    15 February 2010 at 12:14 pm

    One way to have a more adult Lent is by taking up the practice of daily spiritual reading. Here is one suggestion:
    http://www.lovethechurch.com/lent/

    Doing so might be connected with a sacrifice — for example, not watching TV at all, or not as much, so as to create the time to do spiritual reading.

    The writings of Father Faber and Cardinal Newman, or the writings of John Vianney, will provide much fuel for the spiritual fire. Great stuff!

  8. Jonathan says:
    15 February 2010 at 12:31 pm

    Thank you Father, a wonderful sermon on many levels that challenges me for a fuller Lenten experience. I also particularly liked the fact that you read the readings at a measured pace, and with some dramatic inflection. So many traditional priests seems to gabble the translation in order to get on with their sermon.

  9. roamincatholic says:
    15 February 2010 at 1:53 pm

    Boss homily, Father. I hope you don’t mind that I re-posted the link on ye olde Facebooke.

    My favorite bit was the “Giving up chocolate is the stuff of children.” Amazing, and exactly what people need to hear.

  10. DJR says:
    15 February 2010 at 2:00 pm

    Great sermon Father! I just heard that gospel at Mass yesterday and read in my missal that Gregory the Great compared the blind man to the human race, but your synthesis of St. Paul’s epistle with that gospel analogy really made the discipline of lent come alive for me…your words will be very encouraging in the weeks to come!

    I also regret the loss of Septuagesima in the modern calander…I attend the EF, and I find the pre-lenten season to be a big help. It gets our minds ready for lent and forces us to start thinking about how we will observe the season. I think your sermon makes a great case for how valuable this really is…as we approach lent, we cry out for mercy from our Lord and follow him to Jerusalem. Like you said, its no coincidence that the Church gave us those readings yesterday!

  11. jmhj5 says:
    15 February 2010 at 5:48 pm

    thank you

  12. jfk03 says:
    15 February 2010 at 7:46 pm

    The Eastern churches (Orthodox and Catholic) still retain the pre-lenten season. The three pre-lenten Sundays are Sunday of the Prodigal Son, Meatfare Sunday (last day to eat meat), and Cheesefare Sunday (last day to eat dairy products).

    Fasting is very much alive in the Orthodox tradition. Lent begins on Clean Monday (today), not Ash Wednesday (a custom which developed rather late in the Western tradition). On Clean Monday those who are able to do so fast from all food during the entire day. One needs a pre-lenten season to work up to the discipline of Great Lent. It needs to be restored in the West.

  13. moon1234 says:
    16 February 2010 at 1:20 am

    Wonderful Homily father. I have to say that they way you read the Epistle and Gospel is wonderful. The traditional English has so much more meaning when read properly. You can really see in your mind the Gospel and the Episle come alive. I love your homily as well. I never thought of the blind man being all of us, but it makes perfect sense.