From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
September 15th - Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows
Up until the Second Vatican Council there were two feasts
commemorative of the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin. The more ancient,
dating from the 15th century, was the feast of the Seven Dolors
(=E2=80=9CSeven Sorrows=E2=80=9D) celebrated on the Friday in Passion Week.=
It honored
Mary's compassionate suffering during the dark clays of Jesus=E2=80=
=99 capture
and death. Its theme was expressed by incorporating in the day's
liturgy the famous Marian hymn =E2=80=9CStabat Mater=E2=80=9D, written in 1= 306 by
Jacopone da Todi.
The second celebration of Mary's sorrows, fostered by the Servite
Fathers (who concentrate on Mary's griefs), was approved in 1668. I=
t
was first assigned to the third Sunday of September. Since then it has
been set at September 15.
The orientation of this second feast was slightly different from that
of the Passiontide observance. The Servite Fathers had been
popularizing devotion to Mary's sufferings not only on Calvary but
throughout her life =E2=80=93 a form of piety that dated from the Middle Ag= es.
The list of Mary's =E2=80=9Csorrows=E2=80=9D had been gradually ext=
ended from five to
seven. In religious art you will often see =E2=80=9COur Lady of Sorrows=E2= =80=9D
embracing in pain her heart penetrated by seven swords. One
illustration of this image is the bust of Mary over her altar on the
top of Mount Calvary in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem.
The Spaniards who colonized America brought with them their devotion
to the Mother of Sorrows under at least two separate aspects. Thus the California Spanish Mission of Our Lady of =E2=80=9CSoledad=E2=80=9D (=E2=80= =9Clonesomeness=E2=80=9D),
commemorates Mary's day of lonely grief between the burial and the
resurrection of Jesus. The name =E2=80=9CNuestra Senora de Dolores=E2=80=9D=
(=E2=80=9COur Lady
of Dolors=E2=80=9D) was given to still another old mission center in northe=
rn
Mexico. It is this Spanish Marian title, of course, from which the
girls' name =E2=80=9CDolores=E2=80=9D is drawn.
What are the seven sorrows chosen to represent Mary's constant shar=
ing
in the pains of her divine Son?
The first is the prophecy that Simeon made to our Lady at the
Presentation: =E2=80=9CYou yourself shall be pierced with a sword =E2=80=93=
so that
the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare.=E2=80=9D (Luke, 2:35).
The second sorrow is the flight into Egypt. Joseph was suddenly told
in a dream, =E2=80=9CGet up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt.=E2=80=9D (Matt. 2:13).
The third is the losing of Jesus in Jerusalem. When she and Joseph
finally found Him, Mary reproached Him, =E2=80=9CYou see that your father a=
nd
I have been searching for you in sorrow.=E2=80=9D (Luke 2:48).
The fourth is Mary's encounter with our Lord bearing the cross to
Calvary. This is based on a devout conclusion rather than a specific
event in Scripture.
The fifth: Mary's standing before the cross: =E2=80=9CNear the cros=
s of Jesus
there stood His mother.=E2=80=9D (John, 19:25).
The sixth: Mary's receiving the dead Christ in her arms. The
scriptures only tell us that Joseph of Arimathea =E2=80=9Ctook Him down=E2= =80=9D and
laid Him in the tomb. (Mark 15:46). Although Mary's embracing His d=
ead
body in grief is not recorded in the scripture, it is most plausible.
The seventh is Christ's burial. Our Lady is not mentioned by name i=
n
the bible as witnessing the burial, but this was perhaps because
others wanted to spare her the pain of laying out her beloved Son in
the tomb.
That the Blessed Virgin shared like no other the pains of her Son, is
a foregone conclusion. Her feast of the Seven Dolors should remind us
of our need to pick up our crosses and follow Him.
Saint Quote:
"God both is and is said to be the nature of all beings, in so far as
all partake of Him and subsist by means of this participation not,
however, by participation in His nature--far from it--but by
participation in His energy. In this sense He is the Being of all
beings, the Form that is in all forms as the author of form, the
Wisdom of the wise and, simply, the All of all things."
--St. Gregory Palamas.
Bible Quote
"There is one Body, one Spirit, just as one hope is the goal of your
calling by God. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one
God and Father of all, over all, through all and within all."
[Ephesians 4:4-6]
<><><><>
My Triple Prayer
Most Extraordinary Graces have been received through
The use of this prayer, which in one cry of confidence,
Directly and immediately calls upon Father, Son [JESUS],
Holy Spirit! and Mary, Joseph!
O Eternal FATHER! for the love of the Eternal Son, and for
the love of the Eternal Holy Spirit, grant my request.
O Eternal SON! for the love of the Eternal Father, and for
the love of the Eternal Holy Spirit, grant my request.
O Eternal HOLY SPIRIT! for the love of the Eternal Father, and for
the love of the Eternal Son, grant my request.
O my Crucified JESUS, for the love of the ever adorable Trinity,
and for the love of Mary and Joseph, grant my request.
O MARY, my Mother, for the love of the ever adorable Trinity,
and for the love of Jesus and Joseph, grant my request.
O Holy ST. JOSEPH, for the love of the ever adorable Trinity,
and for the love of Jesus and Mary, grant my request.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)