Our Lady of Sorrows,
Saturday, 15-09-18
Hebrews 5:7-9 / John
19:25-27 or Luke 2:33-35
We may wonder why the Church picks those moments of grief
and sorrow and suffering and turns it into a celebration. Yesterday we celebrated the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Today we bring our hearts back to the foot of the Cross and
enter into the grief and sorrow of our Lady. Maybe there are certain things in life that can be learnt
through sorrow and suffering.
The cross, a symbol of shame and death is turned by Christ
into a symbol of life and glory.
As Mary stood by the cross in sorrow and pain, she was also
changed and transformed.
In that moment of her greatest sorrow, Christ proclaimed
Mary to be the Mother of the Church.
By dying on the cross, Christ gave life to us and gave Mary
to be our Mother.
So when sorrow and suffering are put into the hands of God,
something beautiful happens, something glorious happens.
When we meet with troubles or distress, or sorrow and
suffering, let us go to Mary and stand with her at the foot of the cross.
Even when we sink into the depths of sorrow and suffering,
God assures us this: a beautiful moment is about to happen, a glorious moment
is about to begin.
Let us stay close to Mary and we will share in the glory of
the cross.
****
Our Lady of Sorrows is one of the more prominent titles of
our Lady. The other associated titles are Sorrowful Mother or Mother of
Sorrows, and Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows.
All these titles obviously refer to the profound moments of
sorrow and grief in the life of Mary.
Among the devotions to Our Lady of Sorrows is the meditation
and reflection of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
The following are the Seven Sorrows of Mary:
1. The Prophecy of
Simeon. (Luke 2:34-35)
2. The Flight into
Egypt. (Matthew 2:13)
3. The Loss of the
Child Jesus in the Temple. (Luke 2:43-45)
4. Mary Meets Jesus
on the Way to Calvary (Stations of the Cross)
5. Jesus Dies on the
Cross. (John 19:25)
6. Mary Receives the
Body of Jesus in her Arms. (Matthew 27:57-59)
7. The Body of Jesus
Is Placed in the Tomb. (John 19:40-42)
It goes without saying that even the Mother of Jesus was not
spared of any suffering and sorrows. Yet Mary's sufferings and sorrows are
intimately united with with the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus as we can see
the the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
Mary's sufferings and sorrows also made her united with us
in our own sufferings and sorrows in life. At least we can imagine how she felt
when people say her: Oh, so you are the the mother of that Jesus!
God did not save Mary from sorrow and suffering, just as He
did not save Jesus from death.
But as we heard in the 1st reading, Jesus submitted humbly
to God who saved Him out of death, likewise Mary also submitted humbly to God
even though the sword of sorrow pierced her heart.
Mary believed that God will save her out of her sorrow and
suffering. May we united ourselves with Mary and believe likewise.
*****
In our journey through life, we have walked the path of
sorrow and grief. And many times too.
In fact, no one can ever say that they don't know what
sadness or sorrow or grief is all about.
And maybe too many people have walked that path that each
one has a sad story to tell.
And it is quite frustrating when you want to share a sadness
that has overcome your heart with another person and then that person tells you
that yours is nothing compared to what he is going through and then you hear
another sad story that makes you even more depressed and frustrated.
Today, as we remember
our Lady by one of her titles "Our Lady of Sorrows", we know of her
grief and sadness as she stood by the cross and watch her son being crucified
to death.
That sword of sorrow pierced deep into her heart, and we who
have experienced sorrow and grief would know what she had gone through.
Much had been said of her sorrow and much more can be said.
But on this feast of "Our Lady of Sorrows", we stand with Mary at the
foot of the cross.
We now tell her the sorrow in our hearts and as we stand
with her by the cross may we also receive the strength and consolation that
Jesus will give us through the power of His cross.
Jesus and Mary had gone through their share of sorrow and
sufferings and they want to be with us as we walk the path that they had
walked.
May the strength and consolation that they give us in turn
empower us to be with those who are suffering and in sorrow so that we will be
companions with them in their sufferings.