"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother" (John 19: 25).
Today we commemorate Seven Sorrows of Our Blessed Lady. We shall try to imagine how she felt, the Most Sorrowful Mother when she stood at the foot of the Cross of Jesus. For she was Mother most admirable who has just lost her only child and the most admirable Son. She knew her child was incarnate love and beauty of God. With the last words on the Cross:"it is consummated" (John 19:30) Our Lady's sorrow became most severe. Our Lord offered St John to His most afflicted Mother. In place of Son of God she was given son of man. It was sorrowful and painful exchange as St Bernards says, for instead of Lord she was given servant, instead of Master she was given disciple, instead of Son of God she was given son of Zebedee, man in place of God. Was that only this man? In the person of St John she obtained all of us, sinful, carnal, and ungrateful people. Maybe she could depend on our love. But we rather follow the footsteps of Christ executioners and crucify Him again and again with our sins, and with Him we crucify His mother! Her sorrows was known even in Heaven:" Weeping she hath wept in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: there is none to comfort her among all them that were dear to her: all her friends have despised her, and are become her enemies. "(Lam 1:2).
When we contribute to Our Lady's sorrows by sinning we become her enemies. Let us apologise and comfort her by meditating on her sorrows, on her heart pierced with seven swords, by praying the Litany or Seven Sorrows Chaplet. Do not leave her alone in this affliction! She will also help us in our needs. Let us follow the steps of Jesus' beloved disciple and do what he did: "the disciple took her to his own." (John 19:27)
Today's image is "Our Lady Sorrowful" - miraculous medieval painting from Franciscan Basilica in Cracow, Poland. With one left click the larger image can be viewed. It is worth to try! The image was crowned by His Eminence Archbishop of Cracow, Prince Jan Maurycy Pawel Cardinal Puzyna who on request of Austrian Emperor Franz Josef cast a veto ballot during papal conclave against sympathetic to Russia and her interests Msgr Mariano Rampolla, and although the veto was subsequently disregarded, however it contributed to the election of Pope St. Pius X.
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