Memorial to Our Lady of Sorrows

1 Tm 1:1-2, 12-14; Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35

Our Memorial to Our Lady of Sorrow brings to mind the Stations of the Cross we pray here at St. Francis Xavier parish.  They focus on Christ crucified through the eyes of Mary, her acceptance in a sorrowful heart for she “knew it had to be.” 

There is a connection from last Sunday’s readings and this Sunday’s readings on forgiveness and Mary is at the center as a witness of a forgiving sorrowful heart At the moment of her greatest grief to see her son’s passion and death and before Jesus takes his last breath he calls to his mother to accept the disciple a sinner as a son.  He calls the disciple a sinner and with him all of us disciples in faith to be sons and daughters of Mary.  In the first reading we see the power of forgiveness in Paul.  Paul testifies to his great sin and God’s great mercy.  Paul a leader in the persecution of Jesus is transformed into a warrior for Christ and as an Apostle for the Church.  The power of forgiveness is transforming and brings perfection of holiness.  Want to be a saint, start with forgiving everyone and every evil in the name of Christ crucified and in Mary’s sorrow and we will not be far from the kingdom. 

The two optional gospel readings make us aware that the Memorial to Our Lady of Sorrows represents her whole journey of motherhood beginning with Simeon’s prophetic voice, “you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thought of many hearts may be revealed”.  That prophecy can be seen at the crucifixion when Jesus is pierced by the sword to confirm his death and Simeon’s prophecy of Mary’s sorrow.  Her sorrow begins to take on a mission and purpose and continues to the foot of the cross.  It does not stop there, it remains today as Mother of sinners whose sins pierce her heart and scourge her Son.  She too must bear her own cross.  What is revealed in the hearts of many?  It is our sinfulness.  It lays bare for the final purification.  It lays bare so that we may come to the cross and seek forgiveness and reconciliation.  It lays bare so we can achieve eternal glory. 

The sorrows of life can begin to weigh heavy on our minds and souls.  They can challenge our faith.  Without God they can become despair and depression.  We can also unite them to the cross and to Mary’s sorrowful heart.  They can be signs of a deeper call to prayer, to pray always and to be in the reals presence of our Lord in the silence of our hearts.  It is an invitation to surrender ourselves knowing we can’t bear our sorrows alone.  Here we find grace waiting to manifest in our lives.  Grace heals and strengthens us not simply to bear the cross but to receive sanctification, to enter into holiness.  Our sorrow purifies for it is in our weakness that we too can be transformed.  It does not end there.  It is a new beginning as disciples called to go forth, to share the mission of mercy to “love one another as I have loved you.”  

In suffering there is not only purification but the manifestation of virtues.  Faith, hope and love blossom.  Prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude become our foundation.  Who we are and why we are here becomes our light and our salvation.  As a song says, “We live, we love, we forgive and we never give up cause the days we are given are gifts from above and today we remember to live and to love” (Chorus by Super Chicks)