Our Lady of Sorrows

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, one of my all-time favorite titles for Our Lady. My deep affection for Our Lady of Sorrows stems from the profound beauty with which it bespeaks of the unique love and strength of all women, but certainly in Mary most perfectly, as she is the perfect woman.

Mary's great "Yes" to God, in contrast with Eve's great "No", and her openness to God and His Love
leave her extremely vulnerable. By opening herself to God's will, she in turns opens herself to a whole world of pain. As Simeon predicts to her in one of the options for today's Gospel Reading, "And you yourself a sword will pierce". As incomprehensibly heart-wrenching as it would be for any mother to witness her own child being crucified before her eyes, Mary's suffering is all the greater because her love is that much greater. Our natural, human love is weakened by sin, because sin is the very opposite of love. But Mary, who is without sin, loves that much more perfectly. Unfortunately, the ability to love deeply comes with it the ability to feel pain deeply.

As St. Bernard says in today's Office of Readings, "Perhaps someone will say: 'Had she not known before that he would die?' Undoubtedly. 'Did she not expect him to rise again at once?' Surely.
'And still she grieved over her crucified Son?' Intensely. Who are you and what is the source of your wisdom that you are more surprised at the compassion of Mary than at the passion of Mary's Son? For if he could die in body, could she not die with him in spirit? He died in body through a love greater than anyone had known. She died in spirit through a love unlike any other since his."

But it is precisely this love that makes her so strong. Where all the apostles (except John) had turn and fled like cowards, Mary and the other women with her stood by Christ as He suffered, no matter how painful it was. Thus Mary becomes the perfect model for all woman. In contrast to the grasping, controlling self-assertion of Eve's "No", Mary embodies perfect openness and surrender to God's love, which along with her great sorrow brings eternal life into the whole world, making her the perfect mother and the perfect woman.

By opening herself to God, Our Lady opens herself to Sorrow. And by opening herself to Sorrow, she gives birth to us, her children and God's. How great is her sorrow. How great is her love. How great is this Mother.

Pax Vobiscum