The mystery of suffering, Part Seven

By now, you may be tired of reading about suffering, and I am getting to that point, as well, of talking about it.  But there are a just a few more things I would like to discuss on this topic, so please bear with me, we are getting there.

Tonight, I would like to briefly discuss the sorrows of the Blessed Mother.  Her sufferings, compared to those of her son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, are not as well known.   They are more silent, more hidden.  Mary keeps things in her heart, including her suffering.   But while they may be hidden to the world, certainly they are known to Our Lord, and he has rewarded her for going through them.

In the tradition of Catholic devotion, there are seven sorrows of Our Lady.   Here they are:

1)      The Prophecy of Simeon When Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the Temple, a holy man there predicted suffering for Jesus.   This had to wound Mary.   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.”  (Luke 2:33-35)

2)      The Flight Into Egypt    Mary and Joseph has to “run for their lives” soon after Jesus’ birth.  Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”  Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”  (Matthew 2: 13-15)

3)      The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple  Imagine the pain of not knowing where your child is.   Some of you know this pain.  Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.  And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.  When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.  Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.  When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.  After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.”  He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”^[  But they did not understand what he said to them.  Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.  (Luke 2:41-51)

4)      Mary meets Jesus carrying his Cross    This event is not recorded in Scripture, but has been a part of the Traditional Catholic devotion known as the Stations of the Cross.  It has also been revealed as an actual event to a few mystics.   It is not required for Catholics to believe this event took place, but believing in it is in no way contrary to anything in Scripture or Tradition.  One of the mystics who saw this event, a 19^th century religious sister, Anne Catherine Emmerich, reveals it this way:   Mary was perfectly agonized at this sight; she forgot all else; she saw neither soldiers nor executioners; she saw nothing but her dearly-loved Son; and, springing from the doorway into the midst of the group who were insulting and abusing him, she threw herself on her knees by his side and embraced him…  What agony!

5)      The Crucifixion   Mary watched her son die on the Cross.   Those of you who have lost children know how this feels like.   I cannot imagine myself.   Meanwhile, 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, here 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.   The agony continues!

6)      Mary receives the body of Jesus from the Cross    This event is not recorded in Scripture.  However, like the event above not in Scripture, it is in the Stations of the Cross, and has been revealed privately to mystics.   Here is how she told of this scene to one 14^th century mystic, Saint Bridget of Sweden:  While the others left the scene, I did not want to go away. Later my Son was taken down from the Cross…. we carried Him to a stone which I had covered with clean linens. All my Son’s limbs had become stiff and cold in death, and the blood which had flowed over them during His Passion adhered to them. But I was indeed consoled that I could touch His body and take him onto my lap, examine His wounds and dry up the blood…. Then they laid Him out on some clean linen, and with my cloth, I washed His wounds and His limbs. And with my fingers I closed His eyes and His mouth, which were open when he died.”   Tragic.

7)      The body of Jesus is placed in the tomb.  Scripture does not explicitly record her presence there, but it is hard to imagine she would not have been.   Again, Saint Bridget reveals she was told by Mary:  It would be impossible for anyone to describe how sad I was then…Oh, how gladly would I have allowed them to entomb me alive with my Son, if it had been His will!  I can truly say that when my Son was entombed, there were two hearts in one sepulcher.  Is there not the saying; where your treasure is, there is also your heart?   Therefore, my thoughts and my heart were always in the tomb of my Son.”

Devotion to Our Lady only strengthens our devotion to Christ.   This devotion includes being able to share in her suffering, and endure our own suffering with her maternal help.   Truly, she understands our suffering, and now, as Queen of Heaven, she can intercede, and mediate all the graces from heaven that are there to help us endure, and even sanctify our suffering so it bears fruit.

Our Lady of Sorrows is there for us in our suffering as a model, someone who understands, and also as an intercessor.   May we turn to her and may she direct the graces from God to help us in our suffering in this “valley of tears.”

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Joseph, spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.