Reflection for Wednesday, 24th week  

Memoria of Our Mother of Sorrows

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

Today's WORD of GOD

Luke 2 : 33 - 35

And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed, so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed--and a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Today's reflection

The Title, “Our Lady of Sorrows,” was 1st Given to Our Lady to Recall Her Intense Grief during the Passion & Death of Our LORD. Gradually, the Scope of This Title was Not Limited to the Sacred Passion & was Extended to Comprise “the 7 Dolours” or “7 Sorrows” of Mary, as Foretold by the Old Prophet Simeon, while the Child JESUS was Presented in the Jerusalem Temple.


The 7 Sorrows are These:

1) Simeon’s Prophecy about the Sword of Sorrow (Luke 2: 34-35);

2) The Flight of Joseph, Mary & Jesus into Egypt (Mt 2: 13);

3) The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2: 43-45);

4) Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary (Luke 23: 26);

5) Jesus Dies on the Cross

(John 19: 25);

6) Mary Receives the Body of Jesus in Her Arms (Mt 27: 57);

7) The Body of Jesus is Placed in the Tomb (John 19: 40).


Earlier, in Tuscany (1233), 7 Young Men Founded the Servite Order (OSM or “Order of the Servants of Mary”).

5 Years later, They Named the Sorrows of Mary Under the Cross as the Principal Devotion of Their Order. They Developed the 2 Most Common Devotions to Our Lady’s Sorrows, namely the Rosary of the 7 Sorrows & the Black Scapular of the 7 Dolours of Mary.


True Compassion

When Someone We Love Suffers, We Suffer along with Them. The More We Love Someone, the More We Suffer when They Suffer. When a Son or Daughter is Suffering Physically or Emotionally or Mentally, the Mother & Father is Suffering just as much as Their Child is Suffering, & Sometimes even More so. U Give Your heart in Love to Someone &, Invariably, It will be Broken. The Temptation can be to Refuse to Give Our heart to Anything or Anyone, so that It is Kept Intact & Never Gets Broken, but to do that is only to be Half Alive.

This Morning We Celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. She Gave Her heart to Her Son & when Her Son’s Body was Broken, Mary’s heart was Broken. Michelangelo’s Pieta Captures that very Powerfully. Simeon in Today’s Gospel Makes that Connection between JESUS' Suffering & that of HIS Mother. JESUS is ‘Destined 2b a Sign that is Rejected’ &, as for Mary, ‘a Sword will Pierce Your Own Soul too.’ When Our Own heart Breaks because of Love We can Look to Our Lady of Sorrows as Our Inspiration & Our Support.

GOD Bless Us All Today!

Happy feast of our Lady of Sorrows.

Mother Mary Bless Us All.