As a writer, blogger, resource speaker, and social media influencer, I sometimes receive messages or comments that are full of praise for what I do. People say I’m “so inspiring,” and so on and so forth. To this, I reply, “Praise God for your kind words! It’s all God’s grace.” Because it is true—I am what I am, only “by the grace of God,” as Saint Paul tells us today in the First Reading.

I constantly need to remind myself of this fact: that without God’s grace, I am nothing. Without His grace, everything I do is worthless. Without His grace, I am not fit to be called His follower.

This is something that all of us—even well-known preachers and leaders—should remember. We need to reject pride, be humble, and acknowledge that apart from God, we are nothing. As Saint Augustine once said, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” Tina Santiago Rodriguez (trulyrichandblessed@gmail.com)

reflect

“The truly humble reject all praise for themselves, and refer it all to God.” (St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori)

O Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, make my heart like Yours!

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

First Reading | 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (or Hebrews 5:7-9)

As we celebrate Our Lady of Sorrows, we remember the heartbreaking experience of the Blessed Mother Mary as she watches the suffering and death of her Son. Parents should never have to bury their children; it should be the other way around. It is a gut-wrenching experience for a parent to see a child suffer and die. Let us pray for all parents who are undergoing such trials today so they may draw comfort and strength from their faith in God. May they also be comforted by Mary, our Mother and Mother of the Church, who is by our side.

¹ I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the Gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. ² Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. ³ For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; ⁴ that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; ⁵ that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ After that he appeared to James, then to all the Apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. ⁹ For I am the least of the Apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. ¹¹ Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 28 (or Psalm 31:2, 3, 3-4, 5-6, 15-16, 20)

R: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. ² Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) ¹⁶ “The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord has struck with power.” ¹⁷ I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. (R) ²⁸ You are my God, and I give thanks to you; O my God, I extol you. (R)

Gospel | Luke 2:33-35 (or John 19:25-27)

The life of Jesus is a life of contradiction. How is it that Jesus could suffer and die? Yet He did out of love for us. Let us intercede for all who suffer today at the hands of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still raging at the time of this writing. Let us pray that those who are sick will be restored to good health.

Gospel Acclamation

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

³³ Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; ³⁴ and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted ³⁵ and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read JEREMIAH 31 - 34 today.

Stand by Jesus

Once there was a devout king who attended daily worship at a famous cathedral. Countless people and all his ministers attended with him at the service. One day, the king was surprised that there was no one in the cathedral for the daily service but himself, his personal assistant, and the preacher. He asked his secretary what was going on and he replied, “I made an announcement that you will not be in attendance today.” “And why did you do that?” the king asked. The personal assistant replied, “So we will know who really loves God and who attends worship just to flatter you.”

Yesterday, we celebrated the Exaltation of the Cross. Today, we honor the woman who stood by the cross of Christ. She is honored as Our Lady of Sorrows.

Why was there almost no one among His followers standing by Jesus at the foot of the cross, except Mary, John the beloved disciple, and a few other women? Maybe because they did not really love Jesus like the king’s crowd in our opening story.

I can only imagine the pain Mary felt as she beheld the broken body of her Son. I can only imagine the confusion she must have had. I can only imagine the continuous ridicule that most probably were hurled at her by those who crucified Jesus. Yet beyond the pain, the confusion, and ridicule, Mary stood by the foot of the cross.

Today, the Gospel invites us to behold the courage of Our Lady of Sorrows. No pain, sorrow, or ridicule can snatch her away from Jesus. No “sword that pierces the heart” can make Mary cower from standing by her Son.

Today, we celebrate not Mary’s sorrows. Christianity is not a religion of masochists. We celebrate today the courage, the conviction, and the love that made her stand erect amidst all those sorrows. Fr. Joel O. Jason

reflection question

Think of the many ways when embarrassment, lack of conviction, or political correctness made you cower away from expressing your Christian faith. Let Mary be our inspiration today and always.

God our Father, we thank You for giving us Mary as our mother and exemplar in the faith. As we honor Mary in her love and dedication to Jesus, Your Son and our Lord, make us happy and edifying witnesses of the faith that we have received. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _____________________________________________