In order that we may understand the full force of the warning
conveyed to us by the Church in this Gospel, we must keep before us the
great reality that this is the acceptable Time. In every part of the world, there are conversions
being wrought; millions are being reconciled with God; divine Mercy is
lavish of pardon to all that seek it. But will all persevere? They that
are now being delivered from the power of Satan—will they all be free
from his yoke when next year’s Lent comes around? A sad experience tells
the Church that she may not hope so grand a result. Many will return to
their sins, and that too before many weeks are over. And if the Justice
of God overtake them in that state—what an awful thing it is to say it,
yet it is true;—some, perhaps many, of these sinners will be eternally
lost! Let us, then, be on our guard against a relapse; and in order that
we may ensure our Perseverance, without which it would have been to
little purpose to have been for a few days in God’s grace—let us watch,
and pray; let us keep ourselves under arms; let us ever remember that
our whole life is to be a warfare. Our soldier-like attitude will
disconcert the enemy, and he will try to gain victory elsewhere.
The Third Sunday of Lent is called Oculi from the first word of the Introit. In the primitive Church, it was called Scrutiny Sunday,
because it was on this day that they began to examine the Catechumens,
who were to be admitted to Baptism on Easter night. All the Faithful
were invited to assemble in the Church, in order that they might bear
testimony to the good life and morals of the candidates. At Rome, these
examinations, which were called the Scrutinies, were made on seven different occasions, on account of the great number of aspirants to Baptism; but the principal Scrutiny was that held on the Wednesday of the Fourth Week. We will speak of it later on.
The Roman Sacramentary of St. Galasius gives us the form in which the
Faithful were convoked to these assemblies. It is as follows. “Dearly
beloved Brethren: you know that the day of Scrutiny, when our elect are
to receive the holy instruction, is at hand. We invite you, therefore,
to be zealous and to assemble on N., (here, the day was mentioned),
at the hour of Sext; that so we may be able, by the divine aid, to
achieve, without error, the heavenly mystery, whereby is opened the gate
of the kingdom of heaven, and the devil is excluded with all his
pomps.” The invitation was repeated, if needed, on each of the following
Sundays. The Scrutiny of this Sunday ended in the admission of a certain number of candidates: their names were written down and put on the Diptychs of the Altar, that they might be mentioned in the Canon of the Mass. The same also was done with the names of their Sponsors.
The Station was, and still is, in the Basilica of Saint Laurence outside the walls.
The name of this, the most celebrated of the Martyrs of Rome, would
remind the Catechumens that the Faith they were about to profess would
require them to be ready for many sacrifices. (Read entire post.)