Mary's 7 Sorrows, Part 1

When looking through some of FORMED’s September offerings (and you have not already registered for FORMED, which is free to all SMV parishioners, I urge you to so to do!)  I came upon a short program of the Seven Sorrows of Mary,  which is the dedication for this month of September in the Roman Catholic Church..  Later, during some private prayers, I envisioned Mary’s experiences, I pondered her most blessed and most sorrowful life. I met Mary heart-to-heart: her sorrows and her Son’s agony became mine, and the Mother of Sorrows became the mother of my own sorrows as well. During this month, perhaps we all could enter into the mind and heart of Mary, and reflect on the seven major sorrows in her life. Our Sorrowful Mother can teach us much about the sanctity of suffering, and be a source of consolation to all who suffer. The Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows om September 15th (right after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14th)      
    The First Sorrow: The Prophecy of Simeon “And you yourself a sword will pierce” (Lk 2:35). When Mary’s 40-day period of purification has almost ended, she traveled to Jerusalem to fulfill the Mosaic Law and for the required offering (two young pigeons) to the Lord for every firstborn male. The law of purification does not bind Mary, always a virgin. Nor does Jesus, because of who he is, have to be redeemed. Yet Mary humbly obeys. After the ceremony, imagine young Mary’s amazement when the aged Simeon takes Jesus from her arms, and acknowledges him as the Messiah! Only through Divine inspiration can Simeon know this. Simeon blesses them and says to Mary, “And you yourself a sword will also pierce” (Lk 2:35). Mary shudders and holds Jesus close to her breast, as Joseph gently leads her out of the Temple. Although Joseph is also deeply shaken, his primary concern is for his wife and son. They return to Nazareth in silence, where Mary ponders these things in her heart.      The Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt “The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him” (Mt 2:13) Joseph hastily awakens Mary and relates his dream. She feels the sword’s sharpness as Simeon’s prophecy echoes in her heart. There is no time to worry, no time to lose-only time to pack a few essentials-as they prepare to flee to Egypt under cover of darkness. The lengthy journey across the desert wilderness frightens Mary, but she never voices her fear to Joseph. However, she can’t help but think, will there be enough food and water? How will we weather the excessive heat? What if the donkey stumbles? What if the Egyptians mistreat us…? The “what-ifs” could have paralyzed a person of little faith. But Mary continues to trust that God will take care of her little family’s needs. None of this is recorded, so we can only imagine the hardships that the Holy Family endured while in exile. One thing is certain: nothing can sway conformity to the divine plan. Mary is a model of cooperation with grace.
   Third Sorrow: Search for the Child in Jerusalem “After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety'” (Lk 2:46, 48). Terror seizes Mary’s heart when she discovers that her son is missing. On the third day, while walking by the temple, the anxious mother hears the pure sound of Jesus’ voice. “Joseph, look! There he is among the teachers!” They run to Jesus’ side, and Mary, with mingled joy and sorrow, speaks words of gentle reproach to her son. Mary and Joseph realize they have a uniquely special son—one who amazes even the teachers in the temple with his intelligence. Sometimes they  must have whispered at night, sharing their innermost thoughts and concerns. Often, young Mary ponders these things in her heart while performing her daily tasks: grinding grain into flour to make bread, tending the animals, and spinning yarn and weaving it into clothing for her family in that April of Jesus’ 12th year.
   The Fourth Sorrow: Mary Meets Jesus on His Way to the Cross “And carrying the cross himself . . .” (Jn 19:17). “A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented Him" (Lk 23:27 Mary’s life remains hidden—hidden in God. A widow now, she lives an inconspicuous life, pondering and accepting the mystery of her unique role and that of her son. When news of his miracles reaches her at Nazareth, she rejoices. But the disturbing news of the tension mounting in Jerusalem concerning an upstart named Jesus makes her apprehensive. She knows the sword is poised to pierce her heart more deeply. Yet she goes to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, hoping that Jesus will be there. Mary helps prepare the Passover meal. Quickly she dishes out the bitter herbs and vinegar and carries them to the Upper Room. Here, Mary participates in the first Eucharist. She comprehends all too well the full meaning of his words. We can only guess at the sequence of events. Perhaps one of the holy women finds Mary and tells her that Jesus has been arrested .Mary pushes her way through the shouting, cursing mob. At last, she sees her son carrying his cross. Mary’s heart breaks in unspeakable sorrow at the outrage committed against His precious body. She is powerless to comfort  Him, except by her presence. Their eyes meet, and speak volumes of love in a frozen moment of anguished silence. “Trust, trust,” Jesus’ heart speaks to hers. His unspoken words echo in her hearing heart. With renewed strength, she walks the Way of her Son. 
   The last three of Mary’s Seven Sorrows to be published in next Sunday’s bulletin.
Faithfully, Your Friend and Pastor,
Fr. Christopher C. Stainbrook, KHS