The word “Lent” comes from Old English and means “spring.” On this fourth Sunday of Lent, the priest dons rose-colored vestments, symbolizing the joy and hope on the horizon with the approach of Easter. We witness that same rising hope in nature—the lengthening daylight, the subtle warmth in the air, and the first blossoms breaking through the gray landscape, much like the vibrant imagery in Goncharova’s Spring.

How might we incorporate that joyful hope into our day as we carry on our Lenten sacrifices until Easter morning?

_{^{Image Credit: Natalia Goncharova, (Russian, 1881-1962) Spring, ca. 1917, Oil on canvas, Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame. Bequest of Miss May E. Walter, 1994.024.007. © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris.}}