The official entrance antiphon invites us to rejoice in Jerusalem as our spiritual mother.  In former times the Pope celebrated today’s Mass at the Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, and the Epistle was (and still is in the Extraordinary Form) taken from Galatians 4:22-31, where St Paul reflects on the relationship of Abraham’s two wives – Sarah and Hagar and how we are the spiritual children of Abraham through Sarah’s son Isaac.  This gave rise to the custom of ‘daughter churches’ honouring the ‘mother church’ from which they sprang and then to paying a visit to and honouring our human mothers. 

The note of joy means that the Church permits the use of rose pink vestments today in place of the penitential purple of Lent.