Seven Sorrows…

What makes you filled with Sorrow? When you meet with your friends and you hear about another mother in need of prayer? A high risk pregnancy that is not looking hopeful? The loss of a child? A marriage that is in danger? A teen who does not return by curfew? The killing of the unborn?

I remember walking through the Department store with baby number 3 in the stroller and “my little ducks” right beside me, in the next glance, I couldn’t see little 2 year old. In a instant panic… I was ready to scream to the employees to lock all the doors, my son was missing! In what felt like a lifetime, I found him under a clothes rack against the wall…. I did not feel in control at that moment, God was in control. Was it to make me keep a better watch on him? I was truly terrified and sorrowful that I had lost him…what am I going to do?? That is my baby!!! and then in a split second completely relieved. Thank you God!
Here, on three separate days, I was filled with much sorrow. I remember the day(s) we gathered at the open ground to lay our sweet baby(s) to rest. It was painful to see my husband gently place their tiny sealed boxes into the ground. Their missions on earth were over. They had fulfilled all that God had in mind for them to do before returning them to his kingdom. Jesus’ mission had been fulfilled as well.
Mary, who is filled with grace and left by her son on the cross to be our mother, I am sure had the same pain of goodbye as all the mothers who have suffered from time to time and have been filled with sorrow.
As a home -educating family…..you all know how I think the more visual I can make it, the better. Here is what we did to honor this feast. I sewed a felt ( of course it is felt!) heart and added a ribbon to hang, the children all colored and cut out the cards and then we pierced Mary’s heart.. ( a bit sad for a few of them, esp. Opie, who has such a tender soul..)

For anyone who has not understood why when they walk into a Catholic home, they see statues or pictures with the heart of Jesus or Mary “on the outside”.. it is a visible reminder how to love God.. with our whole heart, mind, and soul. We see the heart with a flame on some…. heart all burning… heart filled with love for man… and the sorrowful heart of a mother, pierced with swords on some….not only once as the mother of our Lord, but seven times.

How many times has your heart been pierced?

The Prophecy of Simeon
1.When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. He took Jesus up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples. And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against
(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”
-Lk 2:22-35
The Flight into Egypt
When the Magi had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream He said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage. He sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under. But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. “Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.
-Mt 2:13-21
The Finding in the Temple
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; When the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, They sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” He said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
-Lk 2:41-50
Mary Meets Jesus on the Way of the Cross
So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross. And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus and there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!’
For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull).
-John 19:1; Luke 23:26-32;
Jesus Died on the Cross
And they brought him to the place called Gol’gotha (which means the place of a skull). There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Standing by 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 near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your Mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “E’lo-i, E’lo-i, la’ma sabach-tha’ni?” which means, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. ( To be called Woman at that time, was considered a high honor)
-Mark 15:22; John 19:18, 25-27; Mark 15:34; Luke 23:46
The Pieta
In order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. After this Joseph of Arimathe’a, who was a disciple of Jesus, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took away his body. “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow.
-John 19:31-34, 38; Lam 1:12
Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, Nicodemus also, who had at first come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’ weight. They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. And Joseph rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid.
Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Matthew 27:59; John 19:38-42; Mark 15:46; Luke 27:55-56