Friday, April 07, 2006




THE SEVEN SORROWS
OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

On this day, in the old calendar, the Mass of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary could be said in place of the ferial Mass.

The psalms of David and the prophecies of Isaias told rather plainly what would happen to Mary's Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. But to help extend God's mercy to all mankind, Our Blessed Lady suffered the seven great swords of her life and the multitude of little swords. All of them were the cost of mothering the earth's Redeemer and His members. Calvary was the climax of her sorrows.

The Gospel for today's feast (John 19:25-27) gives us the picture of this Truth. Jesus has been crucified. In His great agony He looks down from the Cross and sees Mother Mary and St. John. 'When Jesus, therefore, saw His Mother and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He said to His Mother, "Woman, behold thy son." Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, thy mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.' (John 19:27)

From that moment Our Lady became our spiritual Mother, who loves and cares for us better than any earthly mother could do. Mother Mary takes care of all our needs, spiritual and temporal, and if we consecrate ourselves to Immaculate Heart, she will mold us into an image of her divine Son, Jesus!

As the great Pope Leo XIII said: "On the cross . . . He entrusted the entire human race, in the person of His disciple John, to her care and charge"


The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1. The Prophecy of Simeon
2. The Flight into Egypt
3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple
4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross
5. The Crucifixion
6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son
7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb

The graces and merits won by the anguish of Jesus and His Mother continually come to us through her hands. This fruit of her tears makes her also the "cause of our joy" and the sweetness and hope of the world.
(Excerpted from the Daily Missal of the Mystical Body)

PRAYER
O God, in Your Passion, the prophecy of Simeon was fulfilled that a sword of sorrow should pierce the sweet soul of Your glorious Virgin- Mother Mary. We reverently recall her sufferings and sorrow; mercifully grant us the fruits of the redemption that was paid for by Your own sufferings, through the merits and prayers of all the saints watching beside the Cross; who lives and rules with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.


God saves me, Jesus enlightens me, the Holy Spirit is my life, thus I fear nothing.

Deacon John

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