Beside the Cross : Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows: Reflections

Breakfast with the Word Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

John 19:25-27

 

 

 

Beside the cross of our Lord Jesus is a woman who went through pains seeing her son in agony. After the feast of the exaltation of the cross, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. This is to show how the Blessed Virgin Mary intimately links to her son.

 

 

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15, which is a day after the feast of the Holy Cross. This shows the connection between the Passion of Jesus and the sorrows of His mother. Every sorrow that the mother passed through is due to her close connection with Him.

 

She connects to her son in His life, glory, and passion. The cross is the symbol of our salvation. But besides the cross,  is a woman who accompanies her son to make sure that the will of God reaches its fulfillment.

 

 

 

So today’s feast is related to the feast of the exaltation of the cross. One of the painful moments of a mother is to see her child die in her presence. Imagine the pains in Mary’s heart as she watches her only son hanging on the cross in the cruelest form of agony.

 

 

In this feast, we remember the mother whose heart was pierced with a sword seeing her son tortured in agony.

 

 

 

Our Lady of Sorrows.

 

 

 

The title, Our Lady of Sorrows, was given to our Blessed Mother to remember the sorrows and intense suffering this woman underwent. These are those  moments that fulfilled the prophecy of Simeon that a sword would pierce through her soul. (Luke 2:34-35).

 

 

The cross represents pains, agony, persecution, etc, yet beside the cross is a woman who is willing to suffer with Her son. She truly loves her son and offered her entire life just for the will of God to happen. This is to show how She loves her son intimately.

 

 

Mothers who truly understand what it means to be a mother are always there for their children both in good and in bad times. When you get down, they are always there to encourage you again. Mothers are always for their children even when they make mistakes.

 

They are always there to dust you up and tell you there is another chance of survival. When everybody deserts you, they are always there for you, even if it means to stand alone with you. If our earthly mothers can always stand with us in the moments of our affliction, how do we think of our heavenly mother? She is willing to do more than we desire.

 

 

Since Mother Mary was there during the agonizing moments of Jesus Christ, she is willing and ready to be with us in our troublesome moments. By being the mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, She is also our mother.

 

She understands us more than we understand our weaknesses. We have to run to her also in our sorrowful moments.

 

 

Read More

 

 

The Cross Saves: Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

 

Goodness rewards: Lesson from the Centurion.

 

Take Up The Cross and Follow Me.

 

Build Your House on Solid Rock. Saturday 23rd Week

 

When the Blind is leading the Blind.Friday 23rd Week

 

Doing Good to Others; What You have to know. Thurs 23rd Week

 

 

Moments of Her Affliction.

 

 

In the history of our salvation, the church defines some moments as the seven sorrows of the Blessed mother Mary.

 

They are the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt.

The loss and finding of the Word incarnate Jesus within the Temple

 

Mary’s meeting of the Word incarnate Jesus on the road to Calvary

Mary at the foot of the cross during the Crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary

Mary’s standing at the foot of the cross,

 

Mary holding Jesus when He was taken down from the cross;

 

and then Our Lord’s burial.

 

 

In these suffering moments, Mother Mary did not complain nor blamed God for assigning her such a task, unlike what the Israelites did when they faced difficulties. But with faith and calmness, she bore everything in her heart, teaching us to do the same when we are faced with great persecutions and suffering.

 

Our times of suffering are not the best time to blame God nor regret our coming into the world, but to be calm, accepting whatever that life throws in our way, and facing them with courage and faith. At last, the reason everything is happening will show its course.

 

Mother Mary teaches that the best way to face suffering, despite how painful the journey will be is to follow it with ease and deep calmness of the heart. Hence, allowing God to fulfill His will.

 

An igbo proverb says ” with a smooth tongue, the snail can cross over the thorns (ejula na eji ire oma aga na ogwu)”. A renowned musician Oliver De coque sings “ejighi ike eme uwa” (take everything gradually with ease).

 

Finally, In the gospel today, near the cross, you would observe something that will teach us a great lesson.

 

When you look at those who are beside the cross, you will neither see the disciples nor the crowd. At the cross were those related to Jesus, His mother, and John, his closest apostle.

 

 

Therefore, the moments of our suffering and persecution are crucial moments in our lives. At this time many may abandon or leave you. Those who will stay with you are those who are ready to suffer with you.

 

When you look at the foot of the cross, you can see that their numbers are not many. And this is how life is.

 

In your good times, you will have a lot friends who felicitate with you, but in your hard times, only the few who truly love you can stand with you.

 

Only a few are willing to go with you on your painful journey. The cross moments are sometimes painful and lonely moments. Only the few who truly love you can be able to walk with you when everyone has deserted you. So, never get discouraged.

 

At the cross, you will see our mother watching her beloved son undergo agony and pain. She was there with Him. This shows the heart of a loving mother.

 

 

Therefore, in our sorrowful moments, she is ready also to stand and walk with us. Let always seek her maternal care and intercession.

 

 

Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, May God gives us the strength to conquer our difficulties, betrayals, and painful memories amen.