Laetare Sunday, along with its elder brother, Gaudate Sunday, serves as an interjection to the Lent and Advent seasons, urging relaxation and rejoicing as Easter or Christmas draws near. Today marks Laetare Sunday.

This Sunday, the fourth of Lent in the liturgical calendar, signifies the midpoint of Lent and is often observed with a lighter tone compared to the other Sundays. "Laetare," meaning "rejoice" in Latin, highlights the Church's hopeful anticipation of Easter, encouraging believers to reflect on their Lenten journey with optimism.

Fr. Maximus expressed his desire not to turn his sermon into lecturing but ended up mixing both to the admiration of the congregation. As Fr. elaborated on today's significance, memories of the song "Regina Ceali Laetare" flooded back. He explained that Sundays are not counted during Lenten observation. It is a day children eat rice and make merry. On the significance of Sundays, he referred to “Sunday is our Weekly Easter,” a pastoral letter by the late Bishop of Awka, before he became an Archbishop.

During his sermon, he elucidated that most Church and papal documents derive their names from their first words, citing examples like "Gaudete" and "Laetare." He explained that "Gaudete" takes its name from the entrance antiphon for the Mass of that day, while "Laetare" stems from the opening words of today's liturgy, "Laetare Jerusalem – Rejoice, Jerusalem."

Indeed, Fr. was, as always, right. A rough check shows that most papal documents and encyclicals, such as “Laudato Si,” “Humane Vitae,” “Ut Unum Sint,” “Rerum Novarum,” “Divini Redemptoris,” “Mater et Magistra,” among others, followed the tradition. Papal Bulls, such as “Unam Sanctam,” “Ineffabilis Deus,” “Inter Caetera,” “Exsurge Domine,” “Cum Occasione,” among many, follow the same pattern. Decretals, such as “Quod Cuique Sit,” “Perpauca,” “Cum Tam Divino,” “Decet Romanum Pontificem,” followed the same pattern. However, some papal documents, some of which Father alluded to, such as the “Constitutiones Apostolicae,” “Motu Proprio,” “Regulae Cancellariae Apostolicae,” “Rescriptum Apostolicum,” and “Bulla Apostolica,” do not always follow the same pattern as they are named to reflect the topics they address.

While exploring today's readings, especially the story of the graven serpent, Fr. Maximus referenced figures like Einstein, Euclid, and Napoleon Bonaparte to convey his message. As an admirer of Napoleon, I recall visiting his tomb on the banks of the Seine during a trip to France. Napoleon, though short in stature for a General, believed that command lay in the eyes. Legend has it that during the signing of the Concordat of 1801 between Pope Pius VII and Napoleon, Cardinal Caprara, the Papal Legate wore "an immense pair of spectacles" to soften the glare of Napoleon's eyes. He expressed part of his strategy as a general in a mathematical formula: "The strength of an army, like the amount of momentum in mechanics, is estimated by the mass times the velocity. A swift march enhances the morale of an army and increases its power for victory."

Through Napoleon's defeat and the peculiar odyssey that characterizes philology, the saying "to meet one’s Waterloo" has become part of English. It was in the Belgian city of Waterloo that he was captured that eventually ended his life while in exile at St. Helena . At St. Helena, he lamented that the bedbug, which makes no distinction of human ranks, bit him unrestrainedly.

What is clear from Fr. Maximus's sermon and lecture today is the rich history of the Catholic Church and the importance of preparation. Let this be a guide to our priests. The congregation must leave with one lesson from sermons, whether moral, historical, or otherwise. It enhances the spirit and expands our knowledge.

As some Nigerians are calling for revolution, what was Napoleon's attitude towards that? He held ambivalent views on revolutions. On one hand, he recognized their potential to unleash the violent passions of the masses, stating that "collective crimes incriminate no one," and acknowledging that "never a revolution without terror." He acknowledged that revolutions could bring about regeneration in public customs. However, he ultimately concluded in 1816 that "revolution is one of the greatest evils by which mankind can be visited." He described it as a scourge that embitters the lives of those involved, and he believed that any advantages gained from revolution could not outweigh the misery it caused.

But among nations like Nigeria that had exhausted all reasons, what becomes their fallback position when all else appears to have failed?