Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
Background Information about Our Lady of Sorrows
Also Catholic Encyclopedia Entry
Readings for Friday
Reading 1 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27
Responsorial Psalm
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Gospel Jn 19:25-27 Or Lk 2:33-35
Reflection:
Today we remember in memorial Mary the Mother of God who followed her Son through his life and thereby suffered as only a mother can suffer. The Church traditionally remembers seven specific events in the life of Mary that are called her Seven Sorrows (Note the Hebrew numerological significance of the perfect number, seven (7)). It is apologetically noteworthy that all of her seven sorrows were scriptural. They include:
1. The Prophecy of Simeon.
2. The Flight into Egypt.
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus for Three Days.
4. Meeting Jesus on the Way to Calvary.
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus.
6. Jesus Taken Down from the Cross.
7. Jesus Laid in the Tomb.
Two of these events are options for our Gospel today. In John we find Mary at the foot of the Cross as Jesus is being crucified and in Luke, she is hearing the awful prophecy from Simeon the mystic. While the Gospel of Luke predicts the sword of sorrow that will pierce Mary’s heart, it is more wrenching to hear the story of that event taking place in the Gospel of John.
Anyone who has had a child badly hurt can get an idea of the suffering Mary went through at the Cross. Only one who as lost a child in death can fully come to grips with Mary’s anguish as she watches her Son slip into death on the Cross. We can feel hear pain as her “brave little soldier” has spikes driven through his hands and feet. We can feel the hot tears as he is taken down from that place and laid, dead, beyond help, in a stranger’s tomb.
It is because of her humanness that we can so easily identify with her. It is because at these moments in her life when pain and suffering threatened to overcome her, Mary demonstrated the virtue and strength of one who was worthy of the title Mother of God, that we revere her. Mary always shows us the strength of the Holy Spirit and the peace only faith in Her Son can bring.
Today’s memorial is a reaffirming event for us. The Son of God, who is True God and was True Man had a mother, Mary. His mother went through the same human trials that mothers from the beginning of human history have endured. She has demonstrated for us the fruits of faith and the strength of love that is our example of virtue.
Our prayer today is a simple one. We take it from the hymn Stabat Mater Dolorósa
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ, my Lord.
Pax
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