PARTICIPATING IN OUR LADY'S SORROWS

OUR LADY OF SORROWS

1 Tim 2:1-8; Ps 28:2,7-9; Jn 19:25-27

The Disciple harboured Her in his Home

The celebration of the exaltation of the Holy Cross of our Lord would not be complete without a glance or consideration for the woman who was crucified with him in her mind, heart, and will. The Church, in her wisdom, celebrates the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows as a way of reminding us that the Blessed Virgin Mary participated uniquely and deeply in the mystery of our redemption. We keep returning to the origin, after the fall of Adam and Eve, to understand God's will and the intricacies of the salvation he worked out for us. We recall again that God established the woman and her offspring as enemies of the serpent and its seed. If, through our disobedience, always instigated by the serpent and its diabolical hoods, cross and death became our lot on earth, we must also understand that our sins were forgiven through the obedience of the woman and her Son. Through the obedience of the woman and her Son, the cross and death became symbols of salvation. Thus, the mystery of our salvation cannot be fully comprehended without the woman, for the grace of the Eternal Word flowed through the woman for the formation of the Son of Man, in nature and in mystery. The woman and her Son are truly the mystical sign of our salvation.

The Church, as Mother and Teacher of the mysteries of Christ, puts this memorial after the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ to guide our minds and hearts to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the mystery of the Holy Cross. In doing so, the Church follows our Lord, who did not forget to point out the place of his mother in the mystery of our redemption through the Holy Cross. The fact that he did this when he was deeply in pain and agony of his crucifixion says a lot to us. “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’” The actions of our Lord on the cross have great meaning for us. None would think that he was just expressing his love and care for his mother, especially by referring to her as ‘woman.’ The fathers of the Church understood this as a reference to the mystery of the woman and her offspring as promised at the fall. It has to be, because the crucifixion of the Son of Man is central to the salvation of man. It is the fulfilment of God’s promise of salvation to us. The sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Man are the birth pangs of the ‘Woman’ given in the book of Apocalypse. These sorrows, joined with those of the Son of Man on the cross, gave birth to the mystical Jesus Christ.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is Our Lady of Sorrows, for she suffers more than anyone for our birth in mystery. Thus, the request Jesus made of the beloved disciple is addressed to all the disciples. Each of us, like the beloved disciple, needs to extend our love for Jesus to her also, for she suffers for us. We need to make a place for her in our homes or hearts. “And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.” By doing this, we cooperate with her and participate in bringing our brothers and sisters to salvation in Jesus Christ. Saint Paul's admonition to Timothy agrees with this duty; it is our duty to pray for everyone’s salvation. “My advice is that, first of all, there should be prayers offered for everyone—petitions, intercession and thanksgiving—and especially for kings and others in authority, so that we may be able to live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet. To do this is right, and will please God our saviour: he wants everyone to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth.” Hence, all the sorrows our Lady endured, seven of which are prominent, she offered in union with her Son to the Father for the salvation of all her children. Bearing our crosses and sorrows united with her, we participate in the salvation of others in prayer, as urged by Paul. In each of us, enduring our crosses, Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest, offers a pleasing sacrifice to the Father for the salvation of souls. May Our Lady of Sorrows aid us in our afflictions to be steadfast in our faith, hope, and charity, as we make Jesus present to all around us.

Let us pray: O God, who willed that, when your Son was lifted high on the Cross, his Mother should stand close by and share his suffering, grant that your Church, participating with the Virgin Mary in the Passion of Christ, may merit a share in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.