Keeping facts and stories of life or any encounters with oneself, is a thing of the past. Today with the advent of modern technology nothing remains concealed nor does one choose to keep silent. Thus, releasing one’s stored feelings of joy, anger, remorse, hurt, pain, happiness and so on. The younger generation wants the world to know everything they do under the sun through social media apps. Sharing things that disturb is what matters to preserve life rather than give way to destruction or destroy life.
The month of September has celebrations like Teacher’s Day, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Holy Name of Mary, The Exaltation of the Cross and the Mater Dolorosa – the Lady of Sorrows. The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is liturgically celebrated today, September 15. There are different names by which Our Lady is addressed as: Our Lady of Sorrows (Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa) and Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows.
The Feast of the Our Lady of Sorrows was originated by a provincial synod of Cologne in 1423. It was designated for the Friday after the third Sunday after Easter and had the title Commemoratio angustiae et doloris B Mariae V. Its object was the sorrow of Mary during the Crucifixion and Death of Christ. In 1913, Pope Pius X, in view of his reform giving precedence to Sundays over ordinary feasts, moved this feast to September 15, the day after the Feast of the Cross. It is still observed on that date. The Seven Sorrows of Mary are a popular Roman Catholic devotion. In common religious Catholic imagery, the Virgin Mary is portrayed, sorrowful and in tears, with one or seven long knives or daggers piercing her heart, often bleeding. Devotional prayers that consist of meditation began to elaborate on her Seven Sorrows based on the prophecy of Simeon.
At Fatima, on October 13, 1917, during the miracle of the sun, the children saw the Heavenly Mother appear as Our Lady of Sorrows. In the Gospels, one can read of Our Lady of Sorrows at the foot of the cross watching her Son die.
Her love for mankind is great. Tradition says that Mary’s heart was pierced seven times with seven swords of sorrow. This constitutes her seven Dolours.
St Paul tells that one cannot be partakers of His Glory unless one partake in His crucifixion. Being the Mother of God has made Mary no less exempt from this law of sacrifice. The seven swords that pierced the Immaculate Heart of Mary are:
1) Simeon’s Prophecy 2) The flight into Egypt 3) The three days loss in the temple 4) Meeting Jesus with His cross 5) The crucifixion 6) Taking Jesus down from the cross 7) The burial of Jesus.
The first sorrow that pierced her heart turned her heart into an ocean of love. Perfect love casts out fear and as the Word in Luke 2:19 says: “she treasured these things in her heart and pondered…”. Mary’s heart was one with her Divine Son’s Heart. Her sorrow was not for what she suffered, but for what Christ had to suffer. Love never thinks of itself. Mothers too have kept and still keep many things in their heart and shed tears. Surrendering everything at the foot of the Cross, at the feet of Jesus does indeed give solutions and comfort.
Can one still choose to keep some things in their heart, laying them down at the foot of the cross or into God’s hand like Mary, who treasured everything in heart (the ocean of love) and allow God to fulfil His plan in one’s life or bring it to completion?
