"Standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, 'Woman, where is your son.' Then he said to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home." [Jn. 19:25-7]
The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows invites us to reflect on the suffering of Mary as she witnessed the passion and death of her son our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a day that we remember in a special way the sorrows in Mary's life :
1) The prophecy of Simeon,
2) The flight into Egypt,
3) The loss of the Child Jesus at Jerusalem,
4) Meeting Jesus on the road to Calvary,
5) The standing at the foot of the Cross,
6) The descent of Jesus from the Cross, and
7) The burial of Jesus.
What is it like to hold the dead body of your son in your arms? How does it feel like to watch your child being tortured, lifeless, broken, and sufffering? It is hard to imagine, yet this is the reality that Mary went through. This is the unspeakable pain she went through. Today, we call to mind these sorrows, and pray that Mary may help us embrace our pain, our suffering, our sorrows with a hope that knows and believes that "Alleluia dwells beyond calvary"
Reflecting on Mary's pain gives me a deeper respect and love for her. She holds our sorrow, pain, and suffering in her arms. She gives us the assurance that " Without Good Friday there is no Easter; without the crucifixion there is no Alleluia"
Mary given all the suffering she went through in her life, she did not give in to bitterness. She did not allow pain to consume her. We see that in her song of praise The Magnificat, " My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior...." Mary was able to reconcile the painful and joyous moments of her life. Isn't this what we are all called to? Isn't this the Paschal mystery - Christ has died, Christ is risen.?
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