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 2:34-35
September 15 is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows. Today we commemorate the incredible sorrow Our Lady felt at the foot of the Cross. Our Lady witnessed the death of her Son, Our Lord, first hand. She witnessed the horrible and bloody scourging and saw Him carry His cross, the instrument of His death. She saw Him die a horrible and agonizing death on the Cross, for us. So because of the agonizing pain she felt during this ordeal, we see that the prophecy of Simeon is fulfilled for Mary. The sword piercing her heart and soul was the greatest pain a parent could ever feel, the death of their child.
The Seven Sorrows
As part of this devotion, people bring to mind the Seven Sorrows that Our Lady endured. So today, we should all bring these pains into our own hearts. Reflecting on the sorrows that have brought Our Lady so much pain will bring us closer to her. When we grow closer to the heart of Mary, we learn to unite ourselves to Christ even more. These are all pains related to Our Savior Christ, and by reflecting on them we learn to love Jesus as Mary did.
Here are the 7 Sorrows we should reflect on:
- The Prophecy of Simeon
- The Flight into Egypt.
- The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple.
- Mary Meets Jesus Carrying the Cross.
- The Crucifixion of Jesus.
- Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son.
- The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb.
Promises of a Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows
The Blessed Virgin Mary made seven promises to St Bridget of Sweden for anyone who devotes themselves to her Seven Sorrows. She instructed that we should say seven Hail Marys for each of the Seven Sorrows, reflecting and meditating on each one. These promises are as follows:
- I will grant peace to their families.
- They will be enlightened about the Divine Mysteries.
- I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.
- I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
- I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
- I will visibly help them at the moment of their death—they will see the face of their mother.
- I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.
The Seven Sorrows Rosary
In the devotion presented to St Bridget of Sweden, we see that we would need to meditate on Mary’s Seven Sorrows and say seven Hail Marys for each one. This can be seen in a type of Rosary, called the Seven Sorrows Rosary. This is different than a typical Rosary, which has 5 groups of ten beads. With this Rosary, there are seven groups of seven beads. On each of these beads, you would meditate on one of the Seven Sorrows. This type of Rosary would be a wonderful devotion to start.
It’s best to say this Rosary on an actual Seven Sorrows Rosary. This type of Rosary consists of seven groups of seven beads in a loop. Separating each group is a single bead. Then three beads come down and end in a medal. If you don’t have a Seven Sorrows Rosary, just keep track of each set of seven in your own way, maybe even use marks on a paper or an app.
To say the Seven Sorrows Rosary, you start with an Act of Contrition. Then on every single bead, you state each sorrow, in order, that you are meditating on. Then you say an Our Father, and then seven Hail Marys. After all seven groups, you then say three Hail Marys in honor of the tears Mary shed.
Spiritual Warfare
Our Lady of Sorrows is well known as a powerful ally in spiritual warfare. Our Lady has gone through such horrible grief and pain, and by uniting our hearts with her suffering we find an ally in fighting against not only grief but also many other dark feelings. By contemplating the pains she went through, we contemplate deeper the pain and sorrows Our Lord went through. When we really feel these pains, we realize how much our own sins are responsible. This is very important when we are fighting temptations. When we are more aware of the hurt sin causes, we are more likely to avoid it.
Our Lady did also promise St Bridget she would “defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.” Such a promise shows how much Our Mother loves us, like a mama bear protecting her cub.
The Comfort of Our Lady of Sorrows
The Blessed Virgin Mary is so compassionate, and when we show our compassion for her for her sorrow, it’s only natural she shows her compassion for us. Her compassion is so immense and comforting, like a mother compforting a heartbroken child. We will find great comfort in the arms of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Comfort Your Mother
So today, make sure you give comfort to Mary, Our Mother, Your Mother, who endured so much. She endured so much and yet would endure even more for us, her children. She protects us like a mama bear protecting her cub. She holds us in our own sorrows. Make sure you hold her back today, and feel these sorrows along with her.