At first, the idea that we should honor Mary as the Mother of Sorrows, seems a rather depressing and gloomy venture. But on greater reflection, we realize that it is this very title that draws us closest to Mary. Our Lady enjoys many titles that celebrate her unique privileges, glories, and virtues but turning to Mary as the Mother of Sorrows, we are not only praying to the Queen of Heaven but also to Mary of Nazareth.
We discover that she is not some remote figure, someone far-removed from our experience. We are reminded that while her unconditional “yes” to God brought her incomparable joys, she was not immune from sorrow. She experienced life’s struggles, doubts, anxieties, and pain.
Today’s Gospel takes us to Calvary, where we find Mary in the culminating, decisive event of her life. Anyone else would have sunk into a pit of despair but she brought to this moment, the faith, courage, and unflinching trust in God that allowed her to stand at the foot of the cross.
But this is only part of the Gospel’s message. Mary is not a solitary figure on Calvary. At her side is John—and his presence too, has something to tell us because John stands there representing all the baptized. I also take comfort in the fact that John is a priest—newly ordained at the Last Supper on the eve of Good Friday! So, we can say that the Lord’s act of entrustment from the cross has a special meaning for us. So, each of us can say, “I am hers, and she is mine.”
Like Mary’s, our life is a mixture of joys and sorrows. We delight in the joys and satisfactions that come through living our vocation. But we also experience disappointments, frustrations, misunderstandings, and criticism; these are also part of our own “yes” we renew each day. It can be hard to keep it together. Like Mary, we must be ready to bring to those critical moments our faith, our courage and unflinching trust in God. As John took Mary into his home, let us take Mary into our hearts.
Reflecting on this feast, Henri Nouwen wrote: “We can only keep it together when we believe that God holds us together. We can only win our lives when we remain faithful to the truth that every little part of us, yes, every hair is completely safe in the divine embrace of our Lord.”
This truth is what allowed Mary to stand at the foot of the cross. It a truth that should sustain each of us. Our Lady of Sorrows, patroness of our parish, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
