Lenten Sundays 4th Laetare, 5th Judica, 6th Palm

William L. Hoffman wrote (April 2, 2025):
The Gospel of John plays a major role in the last two Sundays in Lent (Laetare and Judika, as well as the days of Holy Week, and the Sundays after Easter, most notably the third (Jubilate) to Pentecost Sunday embracing Jesus' Farewell Discourse to his Disciples. These works in 1725 replaced the chorale cantata cycle with the Johannine saga, says Eric Chafe,¹ of the Good Friday St. John Passion second version, BWV 245.2, with additional hymns, the Easter Sunday Italianate Easter Oratorio, BWV 249, lacking hymns and biblical narrative but with dramatic characters favored in John's Gospel account of the Resurrection (Jn. 20:1-18, Peter and John at the empty tomb and Mary Magdalene's encounter with Jesus).

Laeteri and Judica Sundays in Lent

The 4^th and 5^th Sundays in Lent before the final Palm Sunday and Holy Week of the Passion focus on John's Gospel in Bach's single lectionary as well as in today's three-year lectionary, although the readings are different. In Bach's day the Gospel of John readings involved Jesus affirming his identity through the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 with bread and fish (John 6:1-15) on Leateri Sunday, and in his confrontation with the Pharisees saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I AM (John 8:58) on Judica Sunday. This was a "pattern that centers on Jesus's divine identity and his manifesting his glory in the form of 'signs' (miracles) of highly symbolic character," says Eric Chafe (Ibid.: 102), "associated with the discourse in which Jesus identifies himself as the 'bread of life'" (John 6:25-59, Bible Gateway). These were two of the Jesus "I am" proclamations, that culminated in his final acknowledgement during his Passion where his identity was the central issue, when asked if he was Jesus of Nazareth.

The 4th Sunday in Lent, Laeteri, emphasizes "Rejoice," from Introit Psalm 122:1, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord" (kjv) in Bach's time as well as the gospel of John, still used in today lectionary but with different Gospel readings. The Johannine emphasis during Lent is on Jesus' life on earth as the mid-point in the Great Parabola of descent (anabasis) through incarnation in his kenosis (emptying, Phil. 2:5-11, CRI Voice Institute) and the ascent or "lifting up" (catabasis) in glory referred to in today's lectionary Gospel B (John 3:14). His "lifting up" is "the root of the connection between [the St. John Passion] "Herr unser Heerscher" and "Es ist vollbracht"; it is bound up with Jesus's descent/ascent character, hiss coming, from above and oneness with the Father, to whom he ultimately returns," says Chafe (Ibid.: 331).

The Sunday is a time of joy from "Laetare Jerusalem" ("Rejoice, O Jerusalem"), which is from Isaiah 66:10: "Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her" (NRSV). Introit Psalm 122 is a psalm of trust, full kjv text Bible Gateway. Midway in the six-week Lenten period, Laeteri (Wikipedia) signifies a change from sorrow to three-fold joy as a moveable feast through the day's Collect "comfort of God's grace," the Epistle (Galatians 4:21–31, Two Covenants) of the true freedom of the "children born after the spirit," and the Gospel refreshment in the "giving of the bounteous Christ," says Strodach (Ibid.: 121). Laeteri Sunday also is known as "Refreshment Sunday" for the Gospel, John 6:1-15, the Miracle of the Feeding of the 5000 with bread and fish (Bible Gateway).²

Because of the Laeteri and Judica Sundays emphasis on affirmation (see: Motets & Chorales for Sundays in Lent), Bach's NLGB prescribed the following chorales: Hymn of the Day, "Herr Jesu Christ, wahr Mensch und Gott" (Lord Jesus Christ, true man and God, NLGB 338, Death & Dying); and the Communion/Pulpit Hymns, "O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht" (O Jesus Christ, my life's light, NLGB 374, Death & Dying), "In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr" (In you I have placed my hope, Lord, NLGB 254, Psalm 31), and "Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht" (Christ, you are the day and light, NLGB 205 Catechism evening song).

The 5th Sunday in Lent, also known as "Passion Sunday," Judica, takes its name from the first word of the Introit Psalm 43, Judica me, Deus (Judge me, O God), a prayer to God in time of trouble (Bible Gateway). The two readings in Bach's time in the one-year lectionary were Hebrews 9:11–15 (Heavenly Sanctuary) and John 8:46–59, Jesus last words in debate with the Pharasees, "Before Abraham was, I am."³ The Gospel (John 8:46-59 is not found in today's three-year lectionary.

In contrast to Bach's one-year lectionary of highlights from all four gospels, the current three-year Revised Common Lectionary emphasizes the 1725 Year C gospel of Luke, Year A gospel of Matthew, and Year B, gospel of Mark, says John Setterlund.⁴ Portions of the Gospel of John are read throughout Eastertide, and are also used for other liturgical seasons including the 4th Sunday in Advent, the 3rd Day of Christmas (St. John's Day), and Lent where appropriate (see opening paragraph).

The 4^th Sunday in Lent (Laetare): Year C, 30 March 2025, gospel Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 (Parable of Lost Sheep, Bible Gateway), preferred Chorale Cantata BWV 5 (19^th Sunday after Trinity, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois), alternate Cantata BWV 55 (22^nd Sunday after Trinity, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois); Year A, 15 March 2026, gospel John 9:1-41 (Man born blind get sight, Bible Gateway), preferred Cantata BWV 38 (21^st Sunday after Trinity, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois), alternate Cantata BWV 23.3 (Estomihi, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois); Year B, 7 March 2027, gospel John 3:14-21 (Son of Man lifted up, Bible Gareway), preferred Cantata BWV 68 (1^st Day of Pentecost, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois), alternate Cantata BWV 174 (2^nd Day of Pente, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois).
The email column "Which Bach Cantata Today" (Which Bach Cantata: Cantata Days), for the 4^th Sunday in Lent (Laetare, Which Bach Cantata: Cantata Days: Laetare), has three undesignated works: 1. "Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir," BWV 131 (Penitential psalm 130); first performance ?1707 (Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois); 2. Chorale Cantata "Nun danket alle Gott," BWV 192; first performance ?autumn 1730 Reformationfest (Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois); 3. Motet "O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht," BWV 118; first performance ?1736/1737 (funeral, Carus-Media).

The 5^th Sunday in Lent (Judica): Year C, 6 April 2025 (Mary anoints Jesus 6 days before burial, Bible Gateway), preferred Motet BWV 227 (funeral, Carus-Media, BCW: scroll down to "Discussions in the Week of June 19, 2016 (4^th round)," alternate Cantata BWV 150 (Memorial, Carus-Verlag, IOPN Library Illinois); Year A, 22 March 2026, gospel John 11:1-45 (Raising of Lazarus, Bible Gateway), preferred Cantata BWV 156 (3^rd Sunday after Epiphany, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois), alternate Cantata BWV 195 (16^th Sunday after Trinity, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois).

Year B, 14 March 2027, gospel John 12:20-33 (Grain of wheat dying in earth), preferred Motet BWV 1083 (Penitential Psalm 151, Carus-Media), alternate chorale Cantata 114 (17^th Sunday after Trinity, Carus-Media).

The email column "Which Bach Cantata Today? (Which Bach Cantata) for the 5^th Sunday in Lent (Judica, Which Bach Cantata: Judica), has two undesignated works: 1. Chorale Cantata BWV 97, "In allen meinen Taten" (first performance ?1734 Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois); and 2. Cantata "Bekennen will ich seinen Namen," BWV 200 (Purification first performance ?1742; IOPN Library Illinois, BCW, Discussions).

The 6^th Sunday in Lent/Sunday of the Passion (Palm Sunday): Year C, 13 April 2025, gospel Luke 22:14-23:56 (Lord's Supper, Bible Gateway), preferred Cantata BWV 106 (Funeral Music, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois), alternate Cantata BWV 22 (Quinquagesima, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois); Year A, 29 March 2026, gospel Matthew 26:14-27:66 (Passion & Death of Jesus, Bible Gateway), preferred St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 (Good Friday Vespers, Carus-Media, BCW), alternate Cantata BWV 182 (cantata for Palm Sunday and Feast of Annunciation, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois); Year B, 21 March 2027, gospel Mark 14:1-15:47 (Passion and Death of Jesus, Bible Gateway), preferred St. Mark Passion, BWV 247 (Good Friday Vespers, Carus-Media, BCW: Discussions), alternate Cantata BWV 56 (19^th Sunday after Trinity, Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois).

Lenten Sundays 4^th Laetare, 5^th Judica; 6^th Palm ADDENDUM
The 6^th Sunday in Lent/Sunday of the Passion (Palm Sunday). . . The email column "Which Bach Cantata Today? (Which Bach Cantata) for the Sixth Sunday in Lent (Which Bach Cantata: Palm Sunday) has three works appropriate for this service: 1. Cantata "Himmelskönig, sei willkommen," BWV 182 (Palm Sunday, Feast of Annunciation, first performance 25 March 1714; Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois No. 2. "Passio secundum Joannem," BWV 245 (first performance 7 April 1724; Carus-Media ), BCW No. 3. Chorale Cantata "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern," BWV 1 (Feast of Annunciation, first performance 25 March 1725; Carus-Media, IOPN Library Illinois.

ENDNOTES

¹ Eric Chafe, J. S. Bach's Johannine Theology: The St. John Passion and the Cantatas for Spring 1725 (Oxford University GB: Oxford University Press, 20140), Oxford University Press.
² Laeteri readings: Epistle (Galatians 4:31-31), English kjv 1612 (Bible Gateway) Luther German 1545 (New Christian Bible Study: Galatians 4); and Gospel (John 6:1-15), Bible Gateway, New Christian Bible Study: John 1); Luther Gospel sermon, Martin Lunther Sarmons: Sermon 37:.
³ Judica readings, Epistle (Hebrews 9:11-15), English, Bible Gateway; German, New Christian Bibly Study: Hebrews 9. Gospel (John 8:46-59), English, Bible Gateway; German, New Christian Bible Study: John 8); Luther's Sermon, Martin Luther Sermons: Sermon 38).
⁴ John S. Setterlund, Bach Through the Year: The Church Music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the Revised Common Lectionary (Minneapolis MN, Lutheran University Press 2013: 46f), Kirk House Publishers, Amazon.com).

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To Come: Holy Week (Monday to Friday) appropriate cantatas in today''s Revised Common Lectionary.