Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

For when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. – 1 Corinthians 11:21

When I joined Bukas Loob sa Diyos Charismatic Community over 10 years ago, my first question was, “What’s in it for me?” Would I get richer, or cooler, or more famous? I wondered if my life really needed the change. I was content back then, so would I actually gain anything new from joining a group who sings “Shine, Jesus, Shine” with feelings?

       I attended the different youth encounters. I started serving actively in all prayer meetings. I was asked to head different ministries. I eventually became a worship leader and teacher. I gained new friends. Serving became a need instead of a want. Amidst all these, God taught me the real essence of community life. He made me see what His call was about.

       Community is not just about me. It’s about us. It’s about growing deeper in love with God together. It’s about loving each other genuinely and serving God by serving each other, no matter how difficult. This realization has led me to stay and “dine” with the community that God has planted me in, no matter how imperfect it is. Just like any family, all members must eat and drink the same amount so none will go hungry or thirsty. If one gets ahead, all must get ahead. It’s called a community for this reason. Pia Angelica J. Suiza (piasuiza@yahoo.com)

Reflection: In your decisions, do you consider the people around you?

God, continue to make me see Your purpose and mission for me.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

Today we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. This is not meant to lead us into despair because of the suffering caused by our sin, but to remind us that when we embrace suffering in our lives it can become redemptive. Let us never allow despair to enter our hearts. It is imperative that we remain positive in our suffering as Mary does.

17 Brothers and sisters: In giving this instruction, I do not praise the fact that your meetings are doing more harm than good. 18 First of all, I hear that when you meet as a church there are divisions among you, and to a degree I believe it; 19 there have to be factions among you in order that also those who are approved among you may become known. 20 When you meet in one place, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper, 21 for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper, and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. 22 Do you not have houses in which you can eat and drink? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I do not praise you. 23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my Body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my Blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. 33 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Psalm 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 17 (or Psalm 31:2, 3, 3-4, 5-6, 15-16, 20)

R: Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

6 [7] Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; 7 [8] then said I, “Behold I come. (R) In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, 8 [9] to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (R) 9 [10] I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know. (R) 16 [17] May all who seek you exult and be glad in you and may those who love your salvation say ever, “The Lord be glorified.” (R)

I sometimes wonder what went through the heart and mind of Mary as she stood at the foot of the cross and gazed upon her Son. We know she did not despair. Did she realize that the cross of her Son was the means of

Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary; without dying you won the martyr’s crown beneath the Cross of the Lord.

25 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

think:  The memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows reminds us that when we embrace suffering in our lives, it can become redemptive.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Psalm 105-110

A SORROWFUL — BUT NOT DEPRESSED —

Parents suffer from anything that could harm or hurt their children. Since Mary surely was a perfect mother, she must have suffered much in bringing up her beloved Son. We can assume that her suffering was even more intense than that of any parent because of her spiritual closeness to her Son. That God had entrusted to her His Son might have even intensified her suffering because of the profound responsibility she had for this great treasure. Mary also might have suffered much from what her Son went through because of her sinless nature, which made her more compassionate and sensitive to other people’s sufferings.

       Christian pious tradition identified and reflected on the seven great sorrows in Mary’s life — such as the flight to Egypt, the loss of her 12-yearold boy in Jerusalem, and meeting Jesus carrying the crossbeam towards the place of His execution, among others.

       One spiritual writer noticed that today’s feast celebrates the sorrowful Mother of Jesus, not the depressed Mother of Jesus. An interesting thought! John tells us in his Gospel that Mary was standing near the Cross of her Son. Although her suffering must have been close to unbearable, her faith gave her the courage and strength to bear this suffering without breaking down. Here, Mary becomes a great model to look up to when God allows crosses to burden and weigh us down.

       And so this feast is not just another memorial of Mary but it invites us to look up to her when sorrows and sufferings become too much to bear.

       With her example and her motherly intercession, we can and will be able to follow her footsteps and not break down but remain “standing” even in the darkest moments that may come. These moments then will not crush us but, with Mary’s help, become moments of passage into the light that waits beyond every cross. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you face sufferings and trials? Do you give in to despair or do you find strength by looking at Mary?

Lord, thank You for giving me Your Mother as my model when problems and sufferings weigh me down. Through her intercession, may I not despair through the darkest times of my life.