More About This "Gesima" Stuff - Sexagesima Sunday

While some have heard of Septuagesima, which the Church celebrated Last Sunday, fewer have heard of the other two Gesima Sundays, Sexagesima and  Quinquagesima.

This Sunday, the Church celebrates Sexagesima!

Sexagesima Sunday, the second Sunday before Lent, derives its name from the Latin sexagesima, meaning “sixtieth,” referring approximately to sixty days before Easter. It falls within the pre-Lenten season, a period of preparation for the penitential journey of Lent, designed to gradually turn the believer’s heart toward repentance, self-examination, and spiritual readiness for Christ’s Passion and Resurrection. This season historically underscores humanity’s need for God’s grace and the importance of receiving His Word with faith.

The observance of Sexagesima Sunday, along with Septuagesima and Quinquagesima, emerged in the Western Church between the 6th and 7th centuries. Its development was pastoral in nature, providing the faithful with a gradual entry into the Lenten mindset. Instead of abruptly beginning with Ash Wednesday, the Church crafted a liturgical arc to guide believers into deeper contemplation and penitence. While Eastern Christianity follows a different pre-Lenten structure, the West’s adoption of the Gesima Sundays reflects a deep concern for spiritual preparation and the recognition of human frailty.

Sexagesima Sunday centers on the theme of the Word of God and its reception in the hearts of believers. The readings, prayers, and hymns emphasize the necessity of hearing, understanding, and retaining the Word amid the distractions, temptations, and hardships of life. The Church presents this Sunday as a spiritual mirror: believers are asked to consider the state of their hearts as soil for the seed of God’s Word.

This theme serves two purposes. First, it prepares the believer for Lent by highlighting the obstacles that prevent spiritual growth—worldly cares, superficial faith, and spiritual apathy. Second, it encourages steadfastness in the face of trials, as the journey toward the Cross and Resurrection requires endurance rooted in God’s Word.

Traditionally, the Epistle reading is from 2 Corinthians 11:19–12:9, where Paul recounts his sufferings for the sake of the Gospel and speaks of his "thorn in the flesh." This passage serves to remind believers that spiritual growth often comes through weakness and trial, and that God’s grace is sufficient. Paul’s humility and dependence on divine strength model the posture believers should adopt as they prepare for Lent.

The Gospel reading is the Parable of the Sower from Luke 8:4–15. Jesus describes a sower scattering seed on various types of soil, representing different responses to the Word. The hard path, rocky ground, thorny soil, and good soil illustrate how worldly distractions, superficial faith, and the cares of life can choke spiritual growth. Yet, the good soil—symbolizing a receptive heart—bears fruit with patience and perseverance.

These readings together call the faithful to self-examination. Where is the Word being hindered? Where has it taken root? How might worldly cares or trials be preventing spiritual fruitfulness? Such reflection lays the groundwork for the repentance and renewed commitment demanded by Lent.

Liturgically, Sexagesima Sunday maintains a penitential tone, although not as pronounced as during Lent. The omission of the Alleluia signals the Church’s movement into a somber period of reflection. Yet, this Sunday is not devoid of hope; it reassures believers that God’s Word, when received in faith, produces endurance and spiritual fruit.

Pastorally, the day encourages believers to resist spiritual complacency. As farmers prepare their fields, Christians are called to prepare their hearts. Distractions and temptations will come—like the birds, rocks, and thorns in the parable—but God’s Word, when nurtured, strengthens believers for the journey to the Cross.

Sexagesima Sunday serves as a vital part of the Church’s ancient and orthodox liturgical wisdom. It confronts the believer with the reality of spiritual struggle, the necessity of hearing God’s Word, and the assurance of God’s sustaining grace amid weakness. By reflecting on Paul’s endurance and the parable’s call for good soil, the faithful are urged to enter Lent with prepared hearts, ready to receive the life-giving Word that leads to repentance, renewal, and ultimately, the joy of Christ’s Resurrection.