The Seven Dolors of Our Lady of Sorrows
DEVOTION APPROVED BY POPE PIUS VII IN 1815
Two Feast Days: Friday of Passion Week and September 15th
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| Seven Dolors of Our Lady of Sorrows |
“The Blessed Virgin Mary, for the love She bore us, was willing to see Her Son sacrificed to Divine Justice by the barbarity of men. This great torment, then, which Mary endured for us — a torment that was more than a thousand deaths — deserves both our compassion and our gratitude. If we can make no other return for so much love,at least let us give a few moments this day to consider the greatness of the sufferings by which Mary became the Queen of martyrs; for the sufferings of Her great martyrdom exceeded those of all the martyrs;being, in the first place, the longest in point of duration; and in the second place, the greatest in point of intensity." ~ St. Alphonsus de Liguori.
History of Dolors
Devotion to the Seven Dolors of Our Lady of Sorrows focuses on the selfless sorrows willingly endured by most holy Virgin Mary, as a mother, throughout the earthly life of her most holy Son of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ for the salvation of all mankind which began with the prophecy of holy Simeon and consummated with the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary aside St. John and St Mary Magdalen at the foot of the Cross. “Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus, His Mother...”(Jn. 19:25).
Though the devotion has always been part of Catholic piety, it was not until the 13th Century that the devotion of meditating on the sorrows of Our Lady began to flourish much more. In Florence, Italy sevenholy men of noble birth left the city seeking solitude on Mount Senarioand together formed a community dedicating their lives to prayer and penance. Our Lady lamented to St. Bridget that very few consoled Her by meditating on Her Sorrows, and “that the greater part of the world lived in forgetfulness of them: ‘I look around at all who are on earth, to see if by chance there are any who pity Me, and meditate upon My Sorrows; and I find that there are very few. Therefore, My daughter, though I am forgotten by many, at least do you not forget Me; consider my anguish, and imitate, as far as you can, My grief." For this purpose the Blessed Virgin Herself manifested an apparition in the year 1239 to the founder of the Order of the Servites, or servants of Mary, to ask them to institute a religious order in remembrance of Her sorrows.” The seven holy men all had a strong devotion to Our Lady. On Good Friday in 1239, while meditating on Our Lord’s Passion and Our Lady’s sufferings, Our Lady appeared to the 7 holy men and revealed to them Her wish for them to form an Order dedicated to practicing and promoting the devotion to Her Sorrows. At Our Lady’s request, the seven founders made the object of their Order meditation on the pains suffered by Our Lady in the Life, Passion and Death of Her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and undertook promoting this devotion of meditating on the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady to all Catholics, introducing the Chaplet (or Little Rosary) of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. These men became the founders of the religious Order of the Servants of Mary (Servites) and are all canonized saints today.
This devotion to the Seven Dolors offers seven graces offering console and grace in the conversion of sin. The Mother of God once said to her
faithful servant St. Bridget (Feast Day on July 23): "No matter how numerous a person's sins
may be, if he turns to me with a sincere purpose of amendment, I am
prepared forthwith to receive him graciously, for I do not regard the
number of sins he has committed, but look only upon the dispositions
with which he comes to me; for I feel no aversion in healing his wounds,
because I am called and am in truth the Mother of Mercy."
The Seven Sorrows ( Dolors)
These Seven Sorrows should not be confused with the five Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Seven sorrowful events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, referenced as her heart pierced by seven swords of sorrow:
- The Prophecy of Simeon. (Luke 2:34-35).
- The flight into Egypt. (Matthew 2:13)
- The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:43-45)
- Mary meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary carrying His Cross. (No Scripture)
- The Crucifixion , Jesus Dies on the Cross. (John 19:25)
- Mary Receives the Body of Jesus in Her Arms. (Matthew 27:57-59)
- The Body of Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb. (John 19:40-42)
The Four Promises and Seven Graces of Devotion
According to St. Alphonsus de Liguori (The Glories of Mary) it was revealed to Saint Elizabeth that at the request of Our Lady, Our Lord promised Four Principal Graces to those devoted to Her Sorrows:
- That those who before death invoke the divine Mother in the name of Her Sorrows will obtain true repentance of all their sins.
- That He will protect all who have this devotion in their tribulations,and will protect them especially at the hour of death;
- That He will impress on their minds the remembrance of His Passion;
- That He will place such devout servants in Mother Mary’s hands to do with them as She wishes and to obtain for them all the graces She desires.
In addition to these four graces there are also Seven Promises attached to the practice of daily praying seven Hail Mary’s while meditating on seven dolors of Our Lady’s Tears and Sorrows. These Seven Promises were revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden:
1. "I will grant peace to their families."2. "They will be enlightened about the Divine Mysteries."3. "I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work."4. "I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.5. "I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives."6. "I will visibly help them at the moment of their death - they will see the face of their mother."7. "I have obtained this grace from my Divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy."
INDULGENCES
Benedict XIII., September 26th, 1724, granted an indulgence of two hundred days for every Our Father and every Hail Mary to those who, with sincere contrition, and having confessed, or firmly purposing to confess their sins, shall recite this Chaplet on any Friday, or on any day of Lent, on the Festival of the Seven Dolors, or within the Octave; and one hundred days on any other day of the year.
Clement XII., December 12, 1734, confirmed these indulgences, and moreover granted:
1. A Plenary indulgence to those who shall have recited this Chaplet for a month every day - Confession, Communion and Prayers for the Church, required as usual.All these indulgences were confirmed by a decree of January 17th, 1747, and rendered applicable to the souls in Purgatory.
2. An indulgence of one hundred years to all who should recite it on any day, having confessed their sins, with sincere sorrow, or at least firmly purposing to do so.
3. One hundred and fifty years to those who should recite it on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and Holidays of obligation, with Confession and Communion.
4. A Plenary indulgence once a year, on any day, to those who are accustomed to recite it four times a week, on condition of Confession, Communion, and the Recital of the Chaplet on the day of Communion.
5. Two hundred years' indulgence to all who recite it devoutly after Confession; and to all who carry it about them, and frequently recite it, ten years' indulgence every time they shall hear Mass, hear a sermon, or reciting Our Father, and seven Hail Mary's, shall perform any spiritual or corporal work of mercy, in honor of our Blessed Saviour, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or any Saint, their advocate.
THE CHAPLET OF THE SEVEN DOLORS OF OUR LADY
This chaplet consists of seven segments, one segment for each of the seven principal Sorrows or Dolors of the Blessed Virgin. Each segment of the chaplet consists of praying one Our Father and seven Hail Marys while meditating on the particular sorrow for that segment, and followed by a special verse to be said at the end of each segment. After the prayers of the seventh segment, or seventh sorrow of Our Lady, the Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen) and another prayer are prayed followed by three more Hail Marys at the very end in honor of the tears Our Lady shed in Her Sorrows.
The Chaplet may be prayed taking one sorrow per day for a week, or reciting the entire chaplet all at one time (or in one day). When the entire chaplet is recited all at one time, the Act of Contrition and the introductory prayers of “O God come to my assistance” etc. is said only at the beginning of the chaplet.
These meditations are extracts taken from The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori.
The Seven Sorrows (Dolors):
1. The Prophecy of Simeon. (Lk.2:34-35).
2. The flight into Egypt. (Matthew 2:13)
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:43-45)
4. Mary meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary carrying His Cross. (No Scripture)
5. The Crucifixion , Jesus Dies on the Cross. (John 19:25)
6. Mary Receives the Body of Jesus in Her Arms. (Mt 27:57-59)
7. The Body of Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb. (John 19:40-42)
How to Pray the Chaplet of the Seven Dolors:
Start with the Sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the the Holy Spirit, Amen
Recite and Act of Contrition:
O my God I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest
all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell;
but most of all because they offend Thee my God, Who art all good
and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy
grace to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
1. The First Sorrow of Mary - St. Simeon’s Prophecy (Luke 2:34-35)
The First Sorrow, In the Temple, St. Simeon had received the Divine Child in his arms and predicted that this Child would be a sign (of God) which shall be contradicted by men.
V. O God, come to my assistance.R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Recite Glory Be:
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end, Amen.
Recite The First Dolor - St. Simeon’s Prophecy:
34 and
Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child
is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign
which is spoken against; 35 yea and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. (Lk.2:34-35).
Envision: Most holy Mary and saint Joseph heard this canticle of
Simeon, wondering at the exalted revelation it contained. The Evangelist calls
them in this place the parents of the divine Infant, for such they were in the
estimation of the people who were present at this event. Simeon, addressing
himself to the most holy Mother of the Infant Jesus, then added: "Behold
this Child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and
for a sign which shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce,
that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed." Thus saint Simeon; and
being a priest he gave his blessing to the happy parents of the Child. Then also
the prophetess Anne acknowledged the incarnate Word, and full of the Holy Ghost,
she spoke of the mysteries of the Messiah to many, who were expecting the
redemption of Israel. By these two holy old people public testimony of the
coming of the Redeemer was given to the world.
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| 1st Dolor Phrphecy of Simeon |
At the moment when the priest Simeon mentioned the sword and
the sign of contradiction, which were prophetical of the passion and death of
the Lord, the Child bowed its head. Thereby, and by many interior acts of
obedience, Jesus ratified the prophecy of the priest and accepted it as the
sentence of the eternal Father pronounced by his minister. All this the loving
Mother noticed and understood; She presently began to feel the sorrow predicted
by Simeon and thus in advance was She wounded by the sword, of which She had
thus been warned. As in a mirror her spirit was made to see all the mysteries
included in this prophecy; how her most holy Son was to be the stone of
stumbling, the perdition of the unbelievers, and the salvation of the faithful;
the fall of the synagogue and the establishment the Church among the heathens;
She foresaw the triumph to be gained over the devils and over death, but also
that a great price was to be paid for it, namely the frightful agony and death
of the Cross (Colos. 2, 15). She foresaw the boundless opposition and
contradiction, which the Lord Jesus was to sustain both personally and in his
Church (John 15, 20). At the same time She also saw the glory and excellence of
the predestined souls. Most holy Mary knew it all and in the joy and sorrow of
her most pure soul, excited by the prophecies of Simeon and these hidden
mysteries, She performed heroic acts of virtue. All these sayings and happenings
were indelibly impressed upon her memory, and, of all that She understood and
experienced, She forgot not the least iota. At all times She looked upon her
most holy Son with such a living sorrow, as we, mere human creatures with hearts
so full of ingratitude, shall never be able to feel.
The Blessed Virgin told St. Matilda that when St. Simeon pronounced these words “all Her joy was changed into sorrow.” For, as was revealed to St. Teresa, although the Blessed Mother already knew that the life of Her Son would be sacrificed for the salvation of the world, She then learned more distinctly and in greater detail what sufferings and what a cruel death awaited Him. She knew that He would be persecuted and opposed in every way. He would be opposed in His teaching: instead of being believed, He would be called a blasphemer for claiming to be the Son of God. The reprobate Caiphas was to say: “He hath blasphemed … He is guilty of death” (Mt. 26:65-66). He would be opposed in His reputation: for though He was of noble, even of royal descent, He was despised as a peasant: “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” (Mt. 13:55). “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?” (Mk.6:3). He was Wisdom itself, and was treated as ignorant: “How doth this man know letters, having never learned?” (Jn. 7:15). As a false prophet: “And they blindfolded Him, and smote His face … saying:Prophesy, who is it that struck Thee?” (Lk. 22:64). He was treated as amadman: “He is mad, why hear you Him?” (Jn. 10:20). As a drunkard,a glutton, and a friend of sinners: “Behold a man that is a glutton, anda drinker of wine, a friend of publicans and sinners” (Lk. 7:34). As asorcerer: “By the prince of devils He casteth out devils” (Mt. 9:34). Asa heretic and one possessed by the evil spirit: “Do not we say well thatThou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?” (Jn. 8:48). In short, Jesus wasconsidered so notoriously wicked that, as the Jews said to Pilate, notrial was necessary to condemn Him. “If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up to thee” (Jn. 18:30).
Recite: One Our Father and Seven Hail Marys
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
Recite Dolor Verse: My Mother! share Thy grief with me, and let me bear Thee
company to mourn Thy Jesus’ death with Thee.
2. The Second Sorrow of Mary - The Flight of Jesus into Egypt (Matthew 2:13)
The Second Sorrow lets us now consider the intensity of second sword of sorrow which wounded
Mary, the flight of Her Infant Jesus into Egypt to escape the persecution by Herod.
V. O God, come to my assistance.R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Recite Glory Be:
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end, Amen.
Recite Second Dolor - The Flight of Jesus into Egypt:
13 Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. (Matthew 2:13)
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| 2nd Dolor Flight to Egypt |
In this town of Gaza they remained two days, for saint Joseph
and the beast of burden which carried the Queen were worn out by the fatigue of
the journey. From that place they sent back the servant of saint Elisabeth,
taking care to caution him not to tell any one of their whereabouts. But God
provided still more effectually against this danger; for He took away from this
man all remembrance of what saint Joseph had charged him to conceal, so that he
retained only his message to saint Elisabeth. Most holy Mary expended the
presents sent by Elisabeth in entertaining the poor; for She, who was Mother of
the poor, could not bear to pass them by unassisted. Of the clothes sent to Her
She made a cloak for the divine Infant, and one for saint Joseph, to shelter
Them from the discomforts of the season and of the journey. She also used other
things in their possession for the comfort of her Child and of saint
Joseph. The most prudent Virgin would not rely on miraculous assistance whenever
She could provide for the daily needs by her own diligence and labor; for in
these matters She desired to subject Herself to the natural order and depend
upon her own efforts. During the two days which they spent in that city the most
pure Mary, in order to enrich it with great blessings, performed some wonderful
deeds. She freed two sick persons from the danger of death and cured their
ailments. She restored to another person, a crippled woman, the use of her
limbs. In the souls of many, who met Her and conversed with Her, She caused
divine effects of the knowledge of God and of a change of life. All of
them felt themselves moved to praise their Creator. But neither Mary nor Joseph
spoke a word about their native country, nor of the destination or object of
their journey; for if this information had been added to the public notice
caused by their wonderful actions, the attention of Herod's agents might have
been drawn toward them, and they might have found sufficient inducement to
follow them after their departure.
On the third day after our Pilgrims had touched Gaza, they
departed from that city for Egypt. Soon leaving the inhabited parts of
Palestine, they entered the sandy deserts of Bersabe, which they were obliged to
traverse for sixty leagues in order to arrive and take their abode in Heliopolis,
the present Cairo in Egypt. This journey through the desert consumed a number of
days, for the distance they could travel each day was but short, not only on
account of the laborious progress over the deep sand, but also on account of the
hardships occasioned by the want of shelter. There were many incidents on their
way through this solitude; I will mention some of them, from which others can be
conjectured; for it is not necessary to relate all of them. In order to
understand how much Mary and Joseph and also the Infant Jesus suffered on their
pilgrimage, it must be remembered that the Almighty permitted his Onlybegotten,
with his most holy Mother and saint Joseph, to suffer the inconveniences and
hardships naturally connected with travel through this desert. And although the
heavenly Lady made no complaints, yet She was much afflicted, which was also
true of her most faithful husband. For both of them suffered many personal
inconveniences and discomforts, while the Mother, in addition thereto, was
afflicted still more on account of the sufferings of her Son and of saint
Joseph; and the latter was deeply grieved not to be able by his diligence and
care to ease the hardships of the Child and his Spouse.
During all this journey of sixty leagues through desert they
had no other night-shelter than the sky and open air; moreover, it was in the
time of winter, for journey took place in the month of February, only six days
after the Purification, as was indicated in the last chapter. In the first night
on these sandy plains they rested at the foot of a small hill, this being the
only protection they could find. The Queen of heaven with the Child in her arms
seated Herself on the earth, and with her husband She ate of the victuals
brought with them from Gaza. The Empress of heaven also nursed the Infant Jesus
at her breast and He on his part rejoiced his Mother and her husband by his
contentment. In order to furnish them with some kind of shelter against the open
air; however narrow and humble it might be, saint Joseph formed a sort of tent
for the divine Word and most holy Mary by means of his cloak and some sticks.
During that night the ten thousand angels who, full of marvel, assisted these
earthly Pilgrims in visible human shapes, formed a guard around their King and
Queen. The great Lady perceived that her divine Son offered up to the eternal
Father the hardships and labors both of Himself and of Mary and Joseph. In these
prayers and in the other acts of his deified Soul, the Queen joined him for the
greater part of the night. The divine Infant slept for a short time in her arms,
while She continued wakeful and engaged in heavenly colloquies with the Most
High and his angels. Saint Joseph slept upon the ground, resting his head upon
the chest, which contained the clothing and other articles of their baggage.
Having heard that the long-awaited Messiah had been born, Herod foolishly feared that He would deprive him of his kingdom. Herod waited to hear from the holy Magi where the young King was born, and planned to take His life. When he found he had been deceived, he ordered all the infants in the neighborhood of Bethlehem to be put to death. It was at that time that the angel appeared in a dream to St. Joseph and told him: “Arise, and take the Child and His Mother, and flee into Egypt”(Mt. 2:13). No sooner is Jesus born than He is persecuted. Mary began to realize that Simeon’s prophecy regarding Her Son was beginning to be fulfilled. What anguish the realization of the impending exile must have caused Mary. It is easy to imagine that Mary must have suffered on the journey. The distance to Egypt was considerable: three hundred miles, requiring a journey of up to thirty days. The road was rough, unknown and little travelled. It was winter time, so that they had to make their way through snow, rain and wind, over rough and dirty roads. Where could they have slept on such a journey, especially on the two hundred miles of desert? They lived in Egypt seven years. They were strangers — unknown, without money, and barely able to support themselves by the work of their hands. Landolph of Saxony has written (and let this be a consolation to the poor) that Mary lived there in such poverty that there were times when She did not have even a crust of bread togive Her Son when He was hungry. The thought of Jesus and Marywandering as fugitives through a strange land teaches us that wemust also live as pilgrims here below, detached from the materialthings that the world offers, and which we must soon leave to entereternity. It also teaches us to embrace crosses, for we cannot live inthis world without them. Let us make Mary happy by welcoming HerSon into our hearts, the Son whom men still continue to persecute by their sins.
Recite: One Our Father and Seven Hail Marys
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
Recite Dolor Verse: My Mother! share Thy grief with me, and let me bear Thee
company to mourn Thy Jesus’ death with Thee.
3. The Third Sorrow of Mary - The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:43-45)
The Third Sorrow was one of the greatest that Mary had to endure in Her life, the loss of Her Son in the temple. Having lost Her Son for three days, She was deprived of His most sweet presence.
V. O God, come to my assistance.R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Recite Glory Be:
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end, Amen.
Recite Third Dolor - The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple
In the Temple, St. Simeon had received the Divine Child in his arms and predicted that this Child would be a sign (of God) which shall be contradicted by men. “Behold this Child is set … for a sign which shall be contradicted. And Thy own soul a sword shall pierce.” (Lk.2:34-35).
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| 3rd Dolor - Lost in Temple |
Having thus spent all the seven days of the feast. They
betook themselves on their way home to Nazareth. When his parents departed from
Jerusalem and were pursuing their way homeward, the Child Jesus withdrew from
them without their knowledge. For this purpose the Lord availed Himself of the
separation of the men and women, which had become customary among the pilgrims
for reasons of decency as well as for greater recollection during their return
homeward. The children which accompanied their parents were taken in charge
promiscuously either by the men or the women, since their company with either
was a matter of indifference. Thus it happened that saint Joseph could easily
suppose that the Child Jesus had remained with his most holy Mother, with whom
He generally remained. The thought that She would go without Him was far from
his mind, since the heavenly Queen loved and delighted in Him more than any
other creature human or angelic. The great Lady did not have so many reasons for
supposing that her most holy Son was in the company of saint Joseph: but the
Lord himself so diverted her thoughts by holy and divine contemplations, that
She did not notice his absence at first. When afterwards She became aware of her
not being accompanied by her sweetest and beloved Son, She supposed that the
blessed Joseph had taken Him along and that the Lord accompanied his
foster-father for his consolation.
Thus assured, holy Mary and Joseph pursued their home journey
for an entire day, as saint Luke tells us. As the pilgrims proceeded onwards
they gradually thinned out, each taking his own direction and joining again with
his wife or family. The most holy Mary and saint Joseph found themselves at
length in the place where they had agreed to meet on the first evening after
leaving Jerusalem. When the great Lady saw that the Child was not with saint
Joseph and when the holy Patriarch found that He was not with his Mother, the
two were struck dumb with amazement and surprise for quite a while. Both,
governed in their judgment by their most profound humility, felt overwhelmed
with self-reproach at their remissness in watching over their most holy Son and
thus blamed themselves for his absence; for neither of them had any suspicion of
the mysterious manner in which He had been able to elude their vigilance. After
a time they recovered somewhat from their astonishment and with deepest sorrow
took counsel with each other as to what was to be done (Luke 2, 45). The loving
Mother said to saint Joseph: "My Spouse and my master, my heart cannot
rest, unless we return with all haste to Jerusalem in order to seek my most holy
Son." This they proceeded to do, beginning their search among their
relations and friends, of whom, however, none could give them any information or
any comfort in their sorrow; on the contrary their answers only increased their
anxiety, since none of them had so much as seen their Son since their departure
from Jerusalem.
Thus this sincerest Dove persevered in her tears and groans
without cessation or rest, without sleeping or eating anything for three whole
days. Although the thousand angels accompanied Her in corporeal forms and
witnessed her affliction and sorrow, yet they gave Her no clue to find her lost
Child. On the third day the great Queen resolved to seek Him in the desert where
saint John was; for since She saw no indications that Archelaus had taken Him
prisoner, She began to believe more firmly, that her most holy Son was with
saint John. When She was about to execute her resolve and was on the point of
departing for the desert, the holy angels detained Her, urging Her not to
undertake the journey, since the divine Word was not there. She wanted also to
go to Bethlehem, in the hope of finding Him in the cave of the Nativity; but
this the holy angels likewise prevented, telling Her that He was not so far off.
Although the blessed Mother heard these answers and well perceived that the holy
angels knew the whereabouts of the Child Jesus, She was so considerate and
reserved in her humility and prudence, that She gave no response, nor asked
where She could find Him; for She understood that they withheld this information
by command of the Lord. With such magnanimous reverence did the Queen of the
angels treat the sacraments of the Most High and of his ministers and
ambassadors (II Mach. 2, 9). This was one of the occasions in which the
greatness of her queenly and magnanimous heart was made manifest.
Not all the sorrows suffered by all the martyrs ever reached
the height of the sorrows of most holy Mary in this trial; nor will the
patience, resignation and tolerance of this Lady ever be equalled, nor can they;
for the loss of Jesus was greater to Her than the loss of anything created,
while her love and appreciation of Him exceeded all that can be conceived by any
other creature. Since She did not know the cause of the loss, her anxiety was
beyond all measure, as I have already said. Moreover, during these three days
the Lord left Her to her natural resources of nature and of grace, deprived of
special privileges and favors; for, with the exception of the company and
companionship of the angels, He suspended all the other consolations and
blessings so constantly vouchsafed to her most holy soul. From all this we can
surmise what sorrow filled the loving heart of the heavenly Mother. But, O
prodigy of holiness, prudence, fortitude and perfection! In such unheard of
affliction and sorrow She was not disturbed, nor lost her interior or exterior
peace, nor did She entertain a thought of anger or indignation, nor allowed
Herself any improper movement or expression, nor fell into any excess of grief
or annoyance, as is so common in great affliction with other children of Adam,
who allow all their passions and faculties to be disarranged, yea even in small
difficulties! The Mistress of all virtue held all Her powers in heavenly order
and harmony; though her sorrow was without comparison great and had pierced her
inmost heart, She failed not in reverence and in the praise of the Lord, nor
ceased in her prayers and petitions for the human race, and for the finding of
her most holy Son.
With this heavenly wisdom and with greatest diligence She
sought Him for three successive days, roaming through the streets of the city,
asking different persons and describing to the daughters of Jerusalem the marks
of her Beloved, searching the byways and the open squares of the city and
thereby fulfilling what was recorded in the Canticles of Solomon (Cant. 5, 10).
Some of the women asked Her what were the distinctive marks of her lost and only
Son; and She answered in the words of the Spouse: "My Beloved is white and
ruddy, chosen out of thousands." One of the women, hearing Her thus
describing Him, said: "This Child, with those same marks, came yesterday to
my door to ask for alms, and I gave some to Him; and his grace and beauty have
ravished my heart. And when I gave Him alms, I felt myself overcome by
compassion to see a Child so gracious in poverty and want." These were the
first news the sorrowful Mother heard of her Onlybegotten in Jerusalem. A little
respited in her sorrow, She pursued her quest and met other persons, who spoke
of Him in like manner. Guided by this information She directed her steps to the
hospital of the city, thinking that among the afflicted She would find the
Spouse and the Originator of patient poverty among his own legitimate brethren
and friends (Matth. 5, 40). Inquiring at that place, She was informed that a
Child of that description had paid his visits to the inmates, leaving some alms
and speaking words of much consolation to the afflicted.
The report of these doings of her Beloved caused sentiments
of sweetest and most tender affection in the heart of the heavenly Lady, which
She sent forth from her inmost heart as messengers to her lost and absent Son.
Then the thought struck Her, that, since He was not with the poor, He no doubt
tarried in the temple, as in the house of God and of prayer. The holy angels
encouraged Her and said: "Our Queen and Lady, the hour of thy consolation
is at hand: soon wilt Thou see the Light of thy eyes; hasten thy footsteps and
go to the temple." The glorious patriarch saint Joseph at this moment again
met his Spouse, for, in order to increase their chance of finding the divine
Child, they had separated in different directions. By another angel he had now
been likewise ordered to proceed to the temple. During all these three days he
had suffered unspeakable sorrow and affliction, hastening from one place to
another, sometimes without his heavenly Spouse, sometimes with Her. He was in
serious danger of losing his life during this time, if the hand of the Lord had
not strengthened Him and if the most prudent Lady had not consoled him and
forced him to take some food and rest. His sincere and exquisite love for the
divine Child made him so anxious and solicitous to find Him, that he would have
allowed himself no time or care to take nourishment for the support of nature.
Moreover, for the most solicitous Queen
there was another hindrance just at that time, and it was, that the veil,
concealing the interior of her most holy Son had again intervened and was not
removed until some time later. The learned men departed, commenting in their
amazement upon the wonderful event, by which they had been privileged to hear
the teaching of eternal Wisdom though they did not recognize it. Being thus left
almost alone, the blessed Mother, embracing Him with maternal affection, said to
Him: "Permit my longing heart, my son, to give expression to its sorrow and
pain; so that it may not die of grief as long as it can be of use to Thee. Do
not cast me off from thy sight; but accept me as thy slave. If it was my
negligence, which deprived me of thy presence, pardon me and make me worthy of
thy company, and do not punish me with thy absence." The divine Child
received Her with signs of pleasure and offered Himself as her Teacher and
Companion until the proper time should arrive. Thus was the dove-like and
affectionate heart of the great Lady appeased, and They departed for Nazareth.
They arrived at Nazareth, where they occupied themselves in
what I shall record later on. The evangelist Luke compendiously mentions all the
mysteries in few words, saying the Child Jesus was subject to his parents,
namely most holy Mary and saint Joseph, and that his heavenly Mother noted and
preserved within her heart all these events; and that Jesus advanced in wisdom,
and age, and grace with God and men (Luke 2, 52), of which, as far as my
understanding goes, I will speak later on. Just now I wish only to mention, that
the humility and obedience of our God and Master toward his parents were the
admiration of the angels. But so was also the dignity and excellence of his most
blessed Mother, who thus merited that the incarnate God should subject himself
and resign Himself to her care; so much so, that She, with the assistance of
saint Joseph, governed Him and disposed of Him as her own.
To the obedience and subjection of her most holy Son the
great Lady on her part responded by heroic works. Among her other excellences
She conceived as it were an incomprehensible humility and a most heartfelt
gratitude for having regained the companionship of her Son. This blessing, of
which the heavenly Queen deemed Herself unworthy, vastly increased in her most
pure heart her love and her anxiety to serve her divine Son. And She was so
constant in showing her gratitude, so punctual and solicitous to serve Him,
kneeling before Him and lowering Herself to the dust, that it excited the
admiration of the highest seraphim. Moreover, She sought with the closest
attention to imitate Him in all his actions as they became known to Her and
exerted Herself most anxiously to copy them and reproduce them in her own life.
The plenitude of her perfection wounded the heart of our Christ and Lord, and,
according to our way of speaking, held him bound to Her with chains of
invincible love (Osee 11, 4). His being thus bound as God and as Son to this
heavenly Princess, gave rise to such an interchange and divine reciprocity of
love, as surpasses all created understanding. For into the ocean of Mary's soul
entered all the vast floods of the graces and blessings of the incarnate Word;
and this ocean did not overflow (Eccles. 1, 7), because it mined the depth and
expanse necessary to receive them.
Meditation
What anxiety this broken-hearted Mother must have felt during those three days when She searched everywhere for Her Son, and asked for Him as the spouse did in the Canticles: Have you seen him, whom my soul loveth? (Cant. 3:3). This third sorrow of Mary ought to serve in the first place as a consolation to souls who are desolate, and who no longer enjoy, as they once enjoyed, the sweet presence of the Lord. They may weep, but they should weep confidently, just as Mary wept over the loss of Her Son. But whoever wants to find Jesus must look for Him as Mary did, not amid the pleasures and delights of the world, but amid crosses and mortifications. “We sought Thee sorrowing,” Mary said to Her Son. Let us learn then from Mary, to seek Jesus. Moreover, we should look for no other good in this world than Jesus. St. Augustine says that Job “had lost what God had given him, but not God Himself.” If Mary wept over the loss of Her Son for three days, how much more should sinners weep who have lost sanctifying grace. To them God says: “You are not My people, and I will not be yours” (Os. 1:9). For this is the effect of sin: it separates the soul from God. “Your iniquities have divided between you and your God” (Isa. 59:2). Sinners may possess all the wealth in the world, but inasmuch as they have lost God, everything in this world becomes a source of affliction to them, as Solomon confessed: “Behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit” (Eccles. 1:14).
Recite: One Our Father and Seven Hail Marys
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
Recite Dolor Verse: My Mother! share Thy grief with me, and let me bear Thee
company to mourn Thy Jesus’ death with Thee.
4. The Fourth Sorrow of Mary - Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary.
The Fourth Sorrow, the greater Her love for Him, the greater Her grief at the sight of His sufferings, especially when She met Him on that dolorous way, dragging His cross to the place of execution.
V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Recite Glory Be:
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end, Amen.
Recite Fourth Dolor - Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary. (No Scripture)
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| 4th Dolor - Christ Taking Leave of His |
From the house of Pilate the sorrowful and stricken Mother
followed with the multitudes on the way of her divine Son, accompanied by saint
John and the pious women. As the surging crowds hindered Her from getting very
near to the Lord, She asked the eternal Father to be permitted to stand at the
foot of the Cross of her blessed Son and see Him die with her own eyes.
With the divine consent She ordered her angels to manage things in such a way as
to make it possible for her to execute her wishes. The holy angels obeyed Her
with great reverence; and they speedily led the Queen through some bystreet, in
order that She might meet her Son. Thus it came that both of Them met face to
face in sweetest recognition of each Other and in mutual renewal of each other's
interior sorrows. Yet They did not speak to one another, nor would the fierce
cruelty of the executioners have permitted such interaction. But the most
prudent Mother adored her divine Son and true God, laden with the Cross; and
interiorly besought Him, that, since She could not relieve him of the weight of
the Cross since She was not permitted to command her holy angels to lighten it,
He would inspire these ministers of cruelty to procure some one for his
assistance. This prayer was heard by the Lord Christ ; and so it happened, that
Simon of Cyrene was afterwards impressed to carry the Cross with the Lord
(Matth. 27, 32). The pharisees and the executioners were moved to this
measure, some of them out of natural compassion, others for fear lest Christ,
the Author of life, should lose his life by exhaustion before it could be taken
from Him on the Cross.
Beyond all human thought and estimation was the sorrow of the
most sincere Dove and Virgin Mother while She thus witnessed with her own eyes
her Son carrying the Cross to Mount Calvary; for She alone could fittingly know
and love Him according to his true worth. It would have been impossible for Her
to live through this ordeal, if the divine power had not strengthened Her and
preserved Her life. With bitterest sorrow She addressed the Lord and spoke to
Him in her heart: "My Son and eternal God, light of my eyes and life of my
soul, receive, O Lord, the sacrifice of my not being able to relieve Thee of the
burden of the Cross and carry it myself, who am a daughter of Adam; for it is I
who should die upon it in love of Thee, as Thou now wishest to die in most
ardent love of the human race. O most loving Mediator between guilt and justice!
How dost Thou cherish mercy in the midst of so great injuries and such heinous
offenses! O charity without measure or bounds, which permits such torments and
affronts in order to afford it a wider scope for its ardor and efficacy! O
infinite and sweetest love, would that hearts and the wills of men were all
mine, so that they could give no such thankless return for all that Thou
endurest! O who will speak to the hearts of the mortals to teach them what they
owe to Thee, since Thou hast paid so dearly for their salvation from ruin!"
Meditation
“O sorrowful Mother,” exclaimed St. John, “Your Son has now been condemned to death; He has already set out on the road to Calvary, carrying His own cross. Come, if You desire to see Him and say farewell to Him, as He passes through the streets.” Mary goes along with St. John. While She waited for Her Son to come along, how much must She have heard said by the Pharisees (and their associates) against Her beloved Son, and perhaps even mockery against Herself. What a frightening picture as the nails, the hammers, the ropes and all the fatal instruments that were to put an end to Her Son’s life were paraded by. But now the implements, the executioners, have all passed by. Mary raised Her eyes, and saw, O God!, a young man all covered with blood and wounds from head to foot, a wreath of thorns on His head, and carrying two heavy beams on His shoulders. She gazed at Him, but hardly recognized Him. The wounds, the bruises, and the clotted blood gave Him the appearance of a leper, so that He could no longer be recognized. According to St. Bridget, Jesus wiped away the clotted blood which prevented Him from seeing Mary. The Mother and the Son looked at each other. And Their looks became as so many arrows to pierce those hearts which loved each other so tenderly. Even though the sight of Her dying Son was to cost Her such bitter sorrow, Mary would not leave Him. The Mother also took up Her cross and followed Him, to be crucified along with Him. Let us pity Her, and accompany Her and Her Son by patiently carrying the cross Our Lord imposes on us.
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
Recite Dolor Verse: My Mother! share Thy grief with me, and let me bear Thee
company to mourn Thy Jesus’ death with Thee.
5. The Fifth Sorrow of Mary - The Crucifixion (John 19:25)
“There stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother” (Jn. 19:25). St. John did not feel it necessary to say more than these words with reference to the martyrdom of Mary. Picture Her now at the foot of the cross beside Her dying Son, and then ask yourself if there can ever be sorrow like Her sorrow. Remain for a while on Calvary and consider the fifth sword which transfixed the heart of Mary — the death of Jesus
V. O God, come to my assistance.R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Recite Glory Be:
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end, Amen.
Recite Fifth Dolor - The Crucifixion, Jesus Dies on the Cross. (John 19:25).
25 These things therefore the soldiers did. But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25)
 |
| 5th Dolor - The Crucifixion |
When the most prudent Mother perceived that now the mysteries
of the Redemption were to be fulfilled and that the executioners were about to
strip Jesus of his clothes for crucifixion, She turned in spirit to the eternal
Father and prayed as follows: "My Lord and eternal God, Thou art the Father
of thy onlybegotten Son. By eternal generation He is engendered, God of the true
God, namely Thyself, and as man He was born of my womb and received from me this
human nature, in which He now suffers. I have nursed and sustained Him at my own
breast; and as the best sons that ever can be born of any creature, I love Him
with maternal love. As his Mother I have a natural right in the Person of his
most holy humanity and thy Providence will never infringe upon any rights held
by thy creatures. This right of a Mother then, I now yield to Thee and
once more place in thy hands thy and my Son as a sacrifice for the Redemption of
man. Accept, my Lord, this pleasing offering, since this is more than I can ever
offer by submitting my own self as a victim or to suffering. This sacrifice is
greater, not only because my Son is the true God and of thy own substance but
because this sacrifice costs me a much greater sorrow and pain. For if the lots
were changed and I should be permitted to die in order to preserve his most
life, I would consider it a great relief and the fulfillment of my dearest
wishes." The eternal Father this received prayer of the exalted Queen with
ineffable pleasure and complacency. The patriarch Abraham was permitted to go no
further than to prefigure and attempt the sacrifice of a son, because the real
execution of such a sacrifice God reserved to Himself and to his Onlybegotten.
Nor was Sara, the mother of Isaac, informed of the mystical ceremony, this being
prevented not only by the promptitude of Abraham's obedience, but also because
he mistrusted, lest the maternal love of Sara, though she was a just and holy
woman, should impel her to prevent the execution of the divine command. But not
so was it with most holy Mary, to whom the eternal Father could fearlessly
manifest his unchangeable will in order that She might, as far as her powers
were concerned, unite with Him in the sacrifice of his Onlybegotten.
It was already the sixth hour, which corresponds to our
noontime, and the executioners, intending to crucify the Savior naked, despoiled
Him of the seamless tunic and of his garments. As the tunic was large and
without opening in front, they pulled it over the head of Jesus without taking
off the crown of thorns; but on account of the rudeness with which they
proceeded, they inhumanly tore off the crown with the tunic. Thus they opened
anew all the wounds of his head, and in some of them remained the thorns, which,
in spite of their being so hard and sharp, were wrenched off by the violence
with which the executioners despoiled Him of his tunic and, with it, of the
crown. With heartless cruelty they again forced it down upon his sacred head,
opening up wounds upon wounds. By the rude tearing off of the tunic were renewed
also the wounds of his whole body, since the tunic had dried into the open
places and its removal was, as David says, adding new pains to his wound (Ps.
68, 27). Four times during the Passion did they despoil Jesus of his garments
and again vest Him. The first time in order to scourge him at the pillar; the
second time in order to clothe Him in the mock purple; the third when they took
this off in order to clothe Him in his tunic; the fourth, when they finally took
away his clothes. This last was the most painful, because his wounds were more
numerous, his holy humanity was much weakened, and there was less shelter
against the sharp wind on mount Calvary; for also this element was permitted to
increase the sufferings of his death-struggle by sending its cold blasts across
the mount.
The holy Cross was lying on the ground and the executioners
were busy making the necessary preparations for crucifying Him and the two
thieves. In the meanwhile our Redeemer and Master prayed to the Father in the
following terms: "Eternal Father and my Lord God, to the incomprehensible
Majesty of thy infinite goodness and justice I offer my entire humanity and all
that according to thy will it has accomplished in descending from thy bosom to
assume passible and mortal flesh for the Redemption of men, my brethren. I offer
Thee, Lord, with Myself, also my most loving Mother, her love, her most perfect
works, her sorrows, her sufferings, her anxious and prudent solicitude in
serving Me, imitating Me and accompanying Me unto death. I offer Thee the little
flock of my Apostles, the holy Church and congregation of the faithful, such as
it is now and as it shall be to the end of the world; and with it I offer to
Thee all the mortal children of Adam. All this I place in thy hands as the true
and almighty Lord and God. As far as my wishes are concerned, I suffer and die
for all, and I desire that all shall be saved, under the condition that all
follow Me and profit of my Redemption. Thus may they pass from the slavery of
the devil to be thy children, my brethren and co-heirs of the grace merited by
Me. Especially, O my Lord, do I offer to Thee the poor, despised and afflicted,
who are my friends and who follow Me on the way to the Cross. I desire that the
just and the predestined be written in thy eternal memory. I beseech
Thee, my Father, to withhold thy chastisement and not to raise the scourge of
thy justice over men; let them not be punished as they merit for their sins. Be
Thou from now on their Father as Thou art mine. I beseech Thee also, that they
may be helped to ponder upon my Death in pious affection and be enlightened from
above; and I pray for those who are persecuting Me, in order that they may be
converted to the truth. Above all do I ask Thee for the exaltation of thy
ineffable and most holy name."
This prayer and supplication of our Savior were known to the
most blessed Mother, and She imitated Him and made the same petitions to the
Father in as far as She was concerned. The most prudent Virgin never forgot or
disregarded the first word which She had heard from the mouth of her divine Son
as an infant: "Become like unto Me, my Beloved." His promise, that in
return for the new human existence which She had given Him in her virginal womb,
He would, by his almighty power, give Her a new existence of divine and eminent
grace above all other creatures, was continually fulfilled.
In order to find the places for the auger-holes on the Cross,
the executioners haughtily commanded the Creator of the universe (O dreadful
temerity!), to stretch Himself out upon it. The Teacher of humility obeyed
without hesitation. But they, following their inhuman instinct of cruelty,
marked the places for the holes, not according to the size of his body, but
larger, having in mind a new torture for their Victim. This inhuman intent was
known to the Mother of light, and the knowledge of it was one of the greatest
afflictions of her chastest heart during the whole Passion. She saw through the
intentions of these ministers of sin and She anticipated the torments to be
endured by her beloved Son when his limbs should be wrenched from their sockets
in being nailed to the Cross. But She could not do anything to prevent it, as it
was the will of the Lord to suffer these pains for men. When He rose from the
Cross and they set about boring the holes, the great Lady approached and took
hold of one of his hands, adoring Him and kissing it with greatest reverence.
The executioners allowed this because they thought that the sight of his Mother
would cause so much the greater affliction to the Lord; for they wished to spare
Him no sorrow they could cause Him. But they were ignorant of the hidden
mysteries; for the Lord during his Passion had no greater source of consolation
and interior joy than to see in the soul of his most blessed Mother, the
beautiful likeness of Himself and the full fruits of his Passion and Death. This
joy, to a certain extent, comforted Christ our Lord also in that hour.
Presently one of the executioners seized the hand of Jesus
our Savior and placed it upon the auger-hole while another hammered a large and
rough nail through the palm. The veins and sinews were torn, and the bones of
the sacred hand, which made the heavens and all that exists, were forced apart.
When they stretched out the other hand, they found that it did not reach up to
the auger-hole; for the sinews of the other arm had been shortened and the
executioners had maliciously set the holes too far apart, as I have mentioned
above. In order to overcome the difficulty, they took the chain with which the
Savior had been bound in the garden, and looping one end through a ring around
his wrist, they, with unheard of cruelty, pulled the hand over the hole and
fastened it with another nail. Thereupon they seized his feet, and placing them
one above the other, they tied the same chain around both and stretched them
with barbarous ferocity down to the third hole. Then they drove through both
feet a large nail into the Cross. Thus the sacred body, in which dwelled the
Divinity, was nailed motionless to the holy Cross, and the handiwork of his
deified members, formed by the Holy Ghost, was so stretched and torn
asunder, that the bones of his body, dislocated and forced from their
natural position, could all be counted. The bones of his breast, of his
shoulders and arms, and of his whole body yielded to the cruel violence
and were torn from their sinews.
Then they dragged the lower end of the Cross with the
crucified God near to the hole, wherein it was to be planted. Some of them
getting under the upper part of the Cross with their shoulders, others pushing
upward with their halberds and lances, they raised the Savior on his Cross and
fastened its foot in the hole they had drilled into the ground. Thus our true
life and salvation now hung in the air upon the sacred wood in full view of the
innumerable multitudes of different nations and countries. I must not omit
mentioning another barbarity inflicted upon the Lord as they raised Him: for
some of them placed the sharp points of their lances and halberds to his body
and fearfully lacerating Him under the armpits in helping to push the Cross into
position. At this spectacle new cries of protest arose with still more vehemence
and confusion from the multitude of people. The Jews blasphemed, the
kind-hearted lamented, the strangers were astounded, some of them called the
attention of the bystanders to the proceedings, others turned away their heads
in horror and pity; others took to themselves a warning from this
spectacle of suffering, and still others proclaimed Him a just Man. All these
different sentiments were like arrows piercing the heart of the afflicted
Mother. The sacred body now shed much blood from the nail wounds, which, by its
weight and the shock of the Cross falling into the hole, had widened. They were
the fountains, now opened up, to which Isaias invites us to hasten with joy to
quench our thirst and wash off the stains of our sins (Is. 12, 3). No one shall
be excused who does not quickly approach to drink of them.
Then they crucified also the two thieves and planted their
crosses to the right and the left of the Savior; for thereby they wished to
indicate that He deserved the most conspicuous place as being the greatest
malefactor. The pharisees and priests, forgetting the two thieves, turned
all the venom of their fury against the sinless and holy One by nature.
Wagging their heads in scorn and mockery (Matth. 27, 39) they threw stones and
dirt at the Cross of the Lord and his royal Person, saying: "Ah Thou, who
destroyest the temple and in three days rebuildest it, save now Thyself; others
He has made whole, Himself He cannot save; if this be the Son of God let him
descend from the Cross, and we will believe in Him," (Matth. 27, 42). The
two thieves in the beginning also mocked the Lord and said: "If Thou art
the Son of God, save Thyself and us." These blasphemies of the two thieves
caused special sorrow to our Lord, since they were so near to death and losing
the fruit of their death-pains, by which they could have satisfied in part for
their justly punished crimes. Soon after, however, one of them availed himself
of the greatest opportunity that a sinner ever had in this world, and was
converted from his sins.
As the wood of the Cross was the throne of majesty and the
chair of the doctrine of life, and as He was now raised upon it, confirming his
doctrine by his example, Christ now uttered those words of highest charity and
perfection: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!"
(Luke 23, 34.) This principle of charity and fraternal love the divine Teacher
had appropriated to himself and proclaimed by his own lips (John 15, 12; Matth.
15, 44). He now confirmed and executed it upon the Cross, not only pardoning and
loving his enemies, but excusing those under the plea of ignorance whose malice had reached the highest point possible
to men in persecuting, blaspheming and crucifying their God and Redeemer. Such
was the difference between the behavior of ungrateful men favored with so great
enlightenment, instruction and blessing; and the behavior of Jesus in his most
burning charity while suffering the crown of thorns, the nails, and the Cross
and unheard of blasphemy at the hands of men. O incomprehensible love! O
ineffable sweetness! O patience inconceivable to man, admirable to the angels
and fearful to the devils! One of the two thieves, called Dismas, became aware
of some of the mysteries. Being assisted at the same time by the prayers and
intercession of most holy Mary, he was interiorly enlightened concerning his
Rescuer and Master by the first word on the Cross. Moved by true sorrow and
contrition for his sins, he turned to his companion and said: "Neither dost
thou fear God, seeing that thou art under the same condemnation? And we indeed
justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man hath done no
evil." And thereupon speaking to Jesus, he said: "Lord, remember me
when Thou shalt come into thy kingdom!" (Luke 23, 40.).
In this happiest of thieves, in the centurion and in the
others who confessed Jesus Christ on the Cross, began to appear the results of
the Redemption. But the one most favored was this Dismas, who merited to hear
the second word of the Savior on the Cross: "Amen, I say to thee, this day
shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." Having thus justified the good thief,
Jesus turned his loving gaze upon his afflicted Mother, who with saint John was
standing at the foot of the Cross. Speaking to both, he first addressed his
Mother, saying: "Woman, behold thy son!'' and then to the Apostle:
"Beho1d thy Mother!" (John 19, 26.) The Lord called Her Woman and not
Mother, because this name of Mother had in it something of sweetness and
consolation, the very pronouncing of which would have been a sensible relief.
During his Passion He would admit of no exterior consolation, having renounced
for that time all exterior alleviation and easement, as I have mentioned above.
By this word "woman'' he tacitly and by implication wished to say: Woman
blessed among all women, the most prudent among all the daughters of Adam,
Woman, strong and constant, unconquered by any fault of thy own, unfailing in my
service and most faithful in thy love toward Me, which even the mighty waters of
my Passion could not extinguish or resist (Cant. 8, 7), I am going to my Father
and cannot accompany Thee further; my beloved disciple will attend upon Thee and
serve Thee as his Mother, and he will be thy son. All this the heavenly Queen
understood. The holy Apostle on his part received Her as his own from that hour
on; for he was enlightened anew in order to understand and appreciate the
greatest treasure of the Divinity in the whole creation next to the humanity of
Christ our Savior. In this light He reverenced and served Her for the rest of
her life, as I will relate farther on. Our Lady also accepted him as her son in
humble subjection and obedience.
Already the ninth hour of the day was approaching, although
the darkness and confusion of nature made it appear to be rather a chaotic
night. Our Savior spoke the fourth word from the Cross in a loud and strong
voice, so that all the bystanders could hear it: "My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken Me?'' (Matth 27, 46.) Although the Lord had uttered these words in
his Hebrew language, they were not understood by all. Since they began with :
"Eli, eli," some of them thought He was calling upon Elias, and a
number of them mocked Him saying: "Let us see whether Elias shall come to
free Him from our hands?" He grieved that his copious and superabundant
Redemption, offered for the whole human race, should not be efficacious in the
reprobate and that He should find Himself deprived of them in the eternal
happiness, for which He had created and redeemed them. As this was to happen in
consequence of the decree of his Father's eternal will, He lovingly and
sorrowfully complained of it in the words: "My God, my God why hast
Thou forsaken Me?" that is, in so God deprived Him of the salvation of the
reprobate.
In confirmation of this sorrow the Lord added: "I
thirst!" The sufferings of the Lord and his anguish could easily cause a
natural thirst. But for Him this was not a time to complain of this thirst or to
quench it; and therefore Jesus would not have spoken of it so near to its
expiration, unless in order to give expression to a most exalted mystery. He was
thirsting to see the captive children of Adam make use of the liberty, which He
merited for them and offered to them, and which so many were abusing. He was
athirst with the anxious desire that all should correspond with Him in the faith
and love due to Him, that they profit by his merits and sufferings, accept his
friendship and grace now acquired for them, and that they should not lose the
eternal happiness which He was to leave as an inheritance to those that wished
to merit and accept it. This was the thirst of our Savior and Master; and
the most blessed Mary alone understood it perfectly and began, with ardent ion
and charity, to invite and interiorly to call upon all the poor, the afflicted,
the humble, the despised and downtrodden to approach their Savior and thus
quench, at least in part, his thirst which they could not quench entirely. But
the perfidious Jews and the executioners, evidencing their unhappy
hard-heartedness, fastened a sponge soaked in gall and vinegar to a reed and
mockingly raised it to his mouth, in order that He might drink of it. Thus was
fulfilled the prophecy of David: "In my thirst they gave me vinegar to
drink" (John 28; Ps. 68, 22).
In connection with this same mystery the Savior then
pronounced the sixth word: "Consummatum est," It is consummated"
(John 19, 29). Now is consummated this work of my coming from heaven and I have
obeyed the command of my eternal Father, who sent Me to suffer and die for the
salvation of mankind. Now are fulfilled the holy Scriptures, the prophecies
figures of the old Testament, and the course of my earthly and mortal life
assumed in the womb of my Mother. Now are established on earth my example, my
doctrines, my Sacraments and my remedies for the sickness of sin. Now is
appeased the justice of my eternal Father in regard to the debt of the children
of Adam. Now is my holy Church enriched with the remedies for the sins committed
by men; the whole work of my coming into the world is perfected in so far
as it concerns Me, its Restorer; the secure foundation of the triumphant Church
is now laid in the Church militant, so that nothing can overthrow or change it.
These are the mysteries contained in the few words "Consummatum est."
Having finished and established the work of Redemption in all
its perfection, it was becoming that the incarnate Word, just as He came forth
from the Father to enter mortal life (John 16, 8), should enter into immortal
life of the Father through death. Therefore Christ our Savior added the last
words uttered by Him: ''Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." The
Lord spoke these words in a loud and strong voice, so that the bystanders heard
them. In pronouncing them He raised his eyes to heaven, as one speaking with the
eternal Father, and with the last accent He gave up his spirit and inclined
his head. By the divine force of these words Lucifer with all his demons were
hurled into the deepest caverns of hell, there they lay motionless, as I shall
relate in the next chapter. The invincible Queen and Mistress of all virtues
understood these mysteries beyond the understanding of all creatures, as She was
the Mother of the Savior and the Coadjutrix of his Passion. In order that She
might participate in it to the end, just as She had felt in her own body the
other torments of her Son, She now, though remaining alive, felt and suffered
the pangs and agony of his death. She did not die in reality; but this
was because God miraculously preserved her life, when according to the natural
course death should have followed. This miraculous aid was more wonderful than
all the other favors She received during the Passion. For this last pain was
more intense and penetrating; and all that the martyrs and the men sentenced to
death have suffered from the beginning of the world cannot equal what the
blessed Mary suffered during the Passion. The great Lady remained at the foot of
the Cross until evening, when the sacred body (as I shall relate) was interred.
But in return for this last anguish of death, all that was still of this mortal
life in the virginal body of the purest Mother, was more than ever
exalted and spiritualized.
As soon as our agonized Redeemer had reached Mount Calvary, the executioners stripped Him of His clothes, and piercing His hands and feet with nails, they fastened Him on the cross. They raised the cross and left Him to die. The executioners left Him, but not Mary. She came up close to the cross to be near Him in death. “I did not leave Him,” She revealed to St. Bridget, “but stood nearer the cross.” Ah, true Mother, most loving Mother, Whom not even the fear of death could separate. Thee from Thy beloved Son. But, O God, what a spectacle of sorrow must have confronted those who could see Jesus hanging in agony on the cross, and His Mother there at the foot of the cross suffering all His torments with Him. All these sufferings of Jesus were also Mary’s sufferings. Saint Jerome says, “Every torture inflicted on the body of Jesus, was a wound in the heart of His Mother.” “Anyone who had been present then on Mount Calvary, would have seen two altars on which two great sacrifices were being offered: the one in the body of Jesus — the other in the heart of Mary.” (St. John Chrysostom)
Recite: One Our Father and Seven Hail Marys
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
Recite Dolor Verse: My Mother! share Thy grief with me, and let me bear Thee
company to mourn Thy Jesus’ death with Thee.
6. The Sixth Sorrow of Mary - Mary Receives the Body of Jesus in Her Arms. (Mt 27:57-59)
We must now consider the sixth sorrow which weighed upon the heart of Our Blessed Lady. On this day, You will be wounded with another sword of sorrow. A cruel lance will pierce the side of Your dead Son, and You will receive Him in Your arms after He has been taken down from the cross.
V. O God, come to my assistance.R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Recite Glory Be:
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end, Amen.
Recite Sixth Dolor - Mary Receives the Body of Jesus in Her Arms. (Matthew 27:57-59)
57 And when even was come, there came a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: 58 this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded it to be given up. 59 And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, (Matthew 27:57-59)
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| 6th Dolor - The Pieta |
Envision: The fullness of wisdom in the soul of our great Queen and
Lady amid all her sorrows permitted no defect or remissness in noticing and
attending to all the duties of each occasion and at all times. By this heavenly
foresight She met her obligations and practiced the highest and most eminent of
all the virtues. As I have said, the Queen retired, after the burial of Christ,
to the house of the Cenacle. Remaining in the hall of the last Supper in the
company of saint John, the Marys, and the other women who had followed Christ
from Galilee, She spoke to them and the Apostle, thanking them in profound
humility and abundant tears for persevering with Her up to this time throughout
the Passion of her beloved Son and promising them in his name the reward of
having followed Him with so much constancy and devotion. At the same time She
offered Herself as a servant and as a friend to those holy women. All of them
with Saint John acknowledged this great favor, kissed her hands and asked for
her blessing. They also begged her to take some rest and some bodily
refreshment. But the Queen answered: "My rest and my consolation shall be
to see my Son and Lord arisen from the dead. Do you, my dearest friends, satisfy
our wants according to your necessities, while I retire alone with my Son."
In her retirement during this evening the great Lady contemplated the doings of
the most holy soul of her Son after it left the sacred body. For from the first
the blessed Mother knew that the soul of Christ, united to the Divinity,
descended to limbo in order to release the holy Fathers from the subterranean
prison, where they had been detained since the death of the first just man that
had died in expectance of the advent of the Redeemer of the whole human race. By
the presence of the most holy Soul this obscure cavern was converted into a
heaven and was filled with a wonderful splendor; and to the souls therein
contained was imparted the clear vision of the Divinity. In one instant they
passed from the state of long-deferred hope to the possession of glory, and from
darkness to the inaccessible light, which they now began to enjoy. All of them
recognized their true God and Redeemer, and gave him thanks and glory, breaking
forth in canticles of praise saying: "The Lamb that was slain is worthy to
receive power and Divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and
benediction. Thou hast redeemed us, Lord, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and
tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us to our God a kingdom and
priests, and we shall reign on the earth (Apoc. 59, 12). Thine is, O Lord, the
power, thine the reign, and thine is the glory of thy works." Then the Lord
commanded the angels to bring all the souls in purgatory, and this was
immediately done. As if in earnest of the human Redemption they were absolved
then and there by the Redeemer from the punishments still due to them, and they
were glorified with the other souls of the just by the beatific vision. Thus on
that day of the presence of the King were depopulated the prisonhouses of both
limbo and purgatory.
The divine soul of Christ our Redeemer remained in limbo from
half past three of Friday afternoon, until after three of the Sunday morning
following. During this hour He returned to the Sepulchre as the victorious
Prince of the angels and of the saints, whom had delivered from those nether
prisons as Spoils of His victory and as an earnest of His glorious triumph over
the chastised and prostrate rebels of hell. In the sepulchre were many angels as
its guard, venerating the sacred body united to the Divinity. Some of them,
obeying the command of their Queen and Mistress, had gathered the relics of the
sacred blood shed by her divine Son, the particles of flesh scattered about, the
hair torn from his divine face and head, and all else that belonged to the
perfection and integrity of his most sacred humanity. On these the Mother of
prudence lavished her solicitous care. The angels took charge of these
relics, each one filled with joy at being privileged to hold the
particles, which he was able to secure. Before any change was made, the body of
the Redeemer was shown to the holy Fathers, in the same wounded, lacerated and
disfigured state in which it was left by the cruelty of the Jews. Beholding Him
thus disfigured in death, the Patriarchs and Prophets and other saints adored
Him and again confessed Him as the incarnate Word, who had truly taken upon
Himself our infirmities and sorrows (Is. 53, 4) and paid abundantly our debts,
satisfying in his innocence and guiltlessness for what we ourselves owed to the
justice of the eternal Father. There did our first parents Adam and Eve see the
havoc wrought by their disobedience, the priceless remedy it necessitated, the
immense goodness and mercy of the Redeemer. As they felt the effects of his
copious Redemption in the glory of their souls, they praised anew the Omnipotent
and Saints of saints, who had with such marvelous wisdom wrought such a
salvation.
Then, in the presence of all those saints, through the
ministry of those angels, were united to the sacred body all the relics, which
they had gathered, restoring it to its natural perfection and integrity. In the
same moment the most holy soul reunited with the body, giving it immortal life
and glory. Instead of the winding-sheets and the ointments, in which it had been
buried, it was clothed with the four gifts of glory, namely: with clearness,
impassibility, agility and subtility (John 19, 40). These gifts
overflowed from the immense glory of the soul of Christ into the sacred body.
Although these gifts were due to it as a natural inheritance and participation
from the instant of its conception, because from that very moment his soul was
glorified and his whole humanity was united to the Divinity; yet they had been
suspended in their effects upon the purest body, in order to permit it to remain
passable and capable of meriting for us our own glory. In the Resurrection these
gifts were justly called into activity in the proper degree corresponding to the
glory of his soul and to his union with the Divinity. As the glory of the most
holy soul of Christ our Savior is incomprehensible and ineffable to man, it is
also impossible entirely to describe in our words or by our examples the
glorious gifts of his deified body; for in comparison to its purity, crystal
would be obscure. The light inherent and shining forth from his body so far
exceeds that of the others, as the day does the night, or as many suns the light
of one star; and all the beauty of creatures, if it were joined, would
appear ugliness in comparison with his, nothing else being comparable to
It in all creation.
Of all these mysteries the great Queen of heaven was aware
and She participated in them from her retreat in the Cenacle. In the same
instant in which the most holy soul of Christ entered and gave life to his body
the joy of her immaculate soul, which I mentioned in the foregoing chapter as
being restrained and, as it were, withheld, overflowed into her immaculate body.
And this overflow was so exquisite in its effects, that She was transformed from
sorrow to joy, from pain to delight from grief to ineffable jubilation and rest.
It happened that just at this time the Evangelist John, as he had done on
the previous morning, stepped in to visit and console Her in her bitter
solitude, and thus unexpectedly, in the midst of splendor and glory, met Her
whom he had before scarcely recognized on account of her overwhelming sorrow.
The Apostle now beheld Her with wonder and deepest reverence and concluded that
the Lord had risen, since his blessed Mother was thus transfigured with joy....
It is enough to tell a mother that her son is dead to arouse in her heart all her love for the dead child. “One of the soldiers with a spear opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water” (Jn. 19:34). “Christ,” says the devout Lanspergius, “shared this wound with His Mother. He received the hurt; His Mother endured the pain.” Mary’s sufferings were so great that it was only through the miraculous intervention of God that She did not die. When She suffered before, She at least had Her Son to pity Her; but now She had no Son to commiserate with Her. Jesus was taken down from the cross, the afflicted Mother waiting with outstretched arms to take Her beloved Son. She embraced Him and then sat down at the foot of the cross. Her Son died for men, men still continue to torture and crucify Him by their sins. Let us resolve not to torment our sorrowful Mother any longer. And if we have saddened Her in the past by our sins, let us now do what She wants us to do.
Recite: One Our Father and Seven Hail Marys
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
Recite Dolor Verse: My Mother! share Thy grief with me, and let me bear Thee
company to mourn Thy Jesus’ death with Thee.
7. The Seventh Sorrow of Mary - The Body of Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb. (John 19:40-42)
The Seven Sorrow, Let us meditate now on Mary’s last sword of sorrow. She has witnessed the death of Her Son on the cross. She has embraced His lifeless body for the last time. Now Mary has to leave Him in the tomb.
V. O God, come to my assistance.R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Recite Glory Be:
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end, Amen.
Recite Seventh Dolor - The Body of Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb. (John 19:40-42)
40 So they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb wherein was never man yet laid. 42 There then because of the Jews' Preparation (for the tomb was nigh at hand) they laid Jesus. (John 19:40-42).
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| 7th Dolor - The Burial of Christ |
When the holy wood of the Cross had been raised on mount
Calvary, bearing aloft with it the incarnate Word crucified before speaking any
of the seven words, Christ prayed interiorly to his heavenly Father and said:
"My Father and eternal God, I confess and magnify Thee from this tree of
the Cross, and I offer Thee a sacrifice of praise in my Passion and Death; for,
by the hypostatic union with the divine nature, Thou hast raised my humanity to
the highest dignity, that of Christ, the Godman, anointed with thy own Divinity.
I confess thee on account of the plenitude of the highest possible graces and
glory, which from the first instant of my Incarnation Thou hast communicated to
my humanity, and because from all eternity up to this present hour Thou hast
consigned to me full dominion of the universe both in the order of grace and of
nature. Thou hast made Me the Lord of the heavens and of elements (Matth. 28,
18), of the sun, the moon and the stars; of fire and air, of the earth and the
sea, of all the animate and inanimate creatures therein; Thou hast made
Me the Disposer of the seasons, of the days and nights, with full lordship and
possession according to my free will, and Thou hast set Me as the Head, the King
and Lord of all angels and men (Ephes. 1, 21), to govern and command them, to
punish the wicked and reward the good (John 5, 22); Thou hast given Me the
dominion and power of disposing all things from highest heavens to deepest
abysses of hell (Apoc. 20, 1). Thou hast placed in my hands the eternal
justification of men, the empires, kingdoms and principalities, the great and
the little, the rich and the poor; and of all that are capable of thy grace and
glory, Thou hast Me made the Justifier, the Redeemer and Glorifier, the
universal Lord of all the human race, of life and death, of the holy Church, its
treasures, laws and blessings of grace: all hast Thou, my Father, consigned to
my hands, subjected to my will and my decrees, and for this I confess, exalt and
magnify thy holy name."
"Now, at this moment, my Lord and eternal Father, when I
am returning from this world to thy right hand through this death on the Cross,
by which I completed the task of the Redemption of men assigned to Me, I desire
that this same Cross shall be the tribunal of our justice and mercy. Nailed to
it, I desire to judge those for whom I give my life. Having justified my cause,
I wish to dispense the treasures of my coming into the world and of my Passion
and Death to the just and the reprobate according as each one merits by his
works of love or hatred. I have sought to gain all mortals and invited them to
partake of my friendship and grace; from the first moment of my Incarnation I
have ceaselessly labored for them; I have borne inconveniences, fatigues,
insults, ignominies, reproaches, scourges, crown of thorns, and now suffer the
bitter death of the Cross; I have implored thy vast kindness upon all of them; I
have watched in prayer, fasted and wandered about teaching them the way of
eternal life. As far as in Me lay I have sought to secure eternal happiness for
all men, just as I merited it for all, without excluding any one. I have
established and built up the law grace and have firmly and forever established
the Church in which all human beings can be saved."
"But in our knowledge and foresight We are aware, my God
and Father, that on account of their malice and rebellious obstinacy not all men
desire to accept our eternal salvation, nor avail themselves of our mercy and of
the way I have opened to them by my labors, life and death; but that many will
prefer to follow their sinful ways unto perdition. Thou art just my Lord and
Father, and most equitable are thy judgments (Ps. 68, 137); and therefore it is
right, since Thou hast made Me the Judge of the living and the dead, of the good
and the bad (Act 10, 3), that I give to the good the reward of having served and
followed Me, and to sinners the chastisement of their perverse obstinacy; that
the just should share in my goods, and the wicked be deprived of the
inheritance, which they refuse to accept. Now then, my eternal Father, in my and
thy name and for thy glorification, I make my last bequest according to my human
will, which is conformable to thy eternal and divine will. First shall be
mentioned my most pure Mother, who gave Me human existence; Her I constitute my
sole and universal Heiress of all the gifts of nature, of grace and of
glory that are mine. She shall be Mistress and Possessor of them all. The gifts
of grace, of which as a mere creature She is capable, She shall actually receive
now, while those of glory I promise to confer upon Her in their time. I desire
that She shall be Mistress of angels and men, claim over them full
possession and dominion and command the service and obedience of all. The demons
shall fear Her and be subject to Her. All the irrational creatures, the heavens,
the stars, the planets, the elements with all the living beings, the birds, the
fishes and the animals contained in them, shall likewise be subject to Her and
acknowledge Her as Mistress, exalting and glorifying Her with Me. I wish also
that She be the Treasurer and Dispenser of all the goods in heaven and on earth.
Whatever She ordains and disposes in my Church for my children, the sons of men,
shall be confirmed by the three divine Persons; and whatever She shall ask for
mortals now, afterwards and forever, We shall concede according to her will and
wishes."
"From the multitudes of men, in the fulness of my good
will, I call, select and separate all the just and the predestined, who through
my grace save themselves by imitating Me, doing my will and obeying my holy law.
These, next to my most pure Mother, I appoint as the inheritors of all my
mysteries, my blessings, my sacramental treasures, of the mysteries concealed in
the holy Scriptures; of my humility, meekness of heart; of the virtues of faith,
hope, and charity of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance; of my divine
gifts and favors; of my Cross, labors, contempt, poverty and nakedness. This
shall be their portion and inheritance in this present and mortal life. Since
they must choose these in order to labor profitably, I assign to them the trials
I have chosen for Myself in this life, as a pledge of my friendship, in order
that they may undergo them with joy. I offer them my protection and, defense, my
holy inspirations, my favors and powerful assistance, my blessings and my
justification, according to each one's disposition and degree of love. I promise
to be to them a Father, a Brother and a Friend, and they shall be my chosen and
beloved children, and as such I appoint them as the inheritors of all my merits
and treasures without limitation. I desire that all who dispose themselves,
shall partake of the goods of my holy Church and of the Sacraments; that, if
they should lose my friendship, they shall be able to restore themselves and
recover my graces and blessings through my cleansing blood. For all of them
shall be open the intercession of my Mother and of the saints, and She shall
recognize them as her children, shielding them and holding them as her own. My
angels shall defend them, guide them, protect them and bear them up in their
hands lest they stumble, and if they fall, they shall help them to rise"
(Ps. 90, 11, l2).
"Likewise it is my will that my just and chosen ones
shall stand high above the reprobate and the demons, that they shall be feared
and obeyed by my enemies; that all the rational and irrational creatures shall
serve them; that all the influences of the heavens, the planets and the stars
shall favor them and give them life; that the earth, its elements and animals,
shall sustain them; all the creatures, that are mine and serve Me shall be
theirs, and shall serve also them as my children and friends (I Cor. 3, 22; Wis.
16, 24), and their blessing shall be in the dew of heaven and in the fruits of
the earth (Genes. 27, 28). I wish to hold with them my delights (Pros. 8, 31),
communicate to them my secrets, converse with them intimately and live
with them in the militant Church in the species of bread and wine, as an earnest
and an infallible pledge of the eternal happiness and glory promised to them; of
it, I make them partakers and heirs, in order that they enjoy it with Me in
heaven by perpetual right and in unfailing beatitude."
"I consent that the foreknown and reprobate (though they
were created for another and much higher end), shall be permitted to possess as
their portion and inheritance the concupiscence of the flesh and the eyes (John
1, 2-16), pride in all its effects; that they eat and be satisfied with the dust
of the earth, namely, riches; with the fumes and the corruption of the flesh and
its delights, and with the vanity and presumption of the world. For such
possessions have they labored and applied all the diligence of their mind and
body; in such occupations have they consumed their powers, their gifts and
blessings bestowed upon them by Us, and they have of their own free will chosen
deceit, despising the truth I have taught them in the holy law ( Rom. 2, 8).
They have rejected the law which I have written in their hearts and the one
inspired by my grace; they have despised my teachings and my blessings, and
listened to my and their own enemies; they have accepted their deceits, have
loved vanity (Ps. 4, 3), wrought injustice, followed their ambitions, sought
their delight in vengeance, persecuted the poor, humiliated the just, mocked the
simple and the innocent, strove to exalt themselves and desired to be raised
above all the cedars of Lebanon in following the laws of injustice" (Ps.
36, 35).
"Since they have done all this in opposition to our
divine goodness and remained obstinate in their malice and since they have
renounced the rights of sonship merited for them by Me, I disinherit them of my
friendship and glory. Just as Abraham separated the children of the slave,
setting aside some possessions for them and reserving the principal heritage for
Isaac, the son of the freedwoman Sarah (Gen. 25, 5), thus I set aside their
claims on my inheritance by giving them the transitory goods, which they
themselves have chosen. Separating them from our company and from that of my
Mother, of the angels and saints, I condemn them to the eternal dungeons and the
fire of hell in the company of Lucifer and his demons, whom they have freely
served. I deprive them forever of all hope of relief. This is, O my Father, the
sentence which I pronounce as the Head and the Judge of men and angels (Eph. 4,
15; Col. 2, 10), and this is the testament made at my Death, this is the effect
of my Redemption, whereby each one is rewarded with that which he has justly
merited according to his works and according to thy incomprehensible wisdom in
the equity of thy strictest justice" (II Tim. 4, 8). Such was the prayer of
Christ our Savior on the Cross to his eternal Father. It was sealed and
deposited in the heart of the most holy Mary as the mysterious and sacramental
testament, in that through her intercession and solicitous care it might at its
time, and even from that moment, be executed in the Church, just as it had
before this time been prepared and perfected by the wise providence of God, in
whom all the past and the future is always one with the present.
Meditation
In order to grasp the meaning of this last sorrow more fully, let us return to Calvary and picture our afflicted Mother there, still holding the lifeless body of Her Son clasped in Her arms. The disciples, afraid that Mary may die of grief, approach and take the body of Jesus from Her arms to bury it. With reverence they lift Him from Her arms, embalm Him with aromatic herbs, and wrap Him in a shroud they have already prepared. The mournful procession sets out for the tomb. The afflicted Mother follows Her Son to His last resting place. When it was time to move the stone to close the entrance, the grief-stricken disciples approached Our Blessed Lady and said to Her: “It is time now, O Lady, to close the tomb. Forgive us; look at Thy Son once more, and say goodbye to Him for the last time.” Finally, they took the stone and sealed off the Sacred Body of Jesus in the sepulcher, that Body which is the greatest treasure there can possibly be on earth or in Heaven. Mary left Her heart in the tomb of Jesus, because Jesus was Her whole treasure: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Lk. 12:34). After speaking Her last farewell to Her Son, She left and returned to Her home. Mary was so desolate and so sad that, according to St. Bernard, She “moved many to tears.” In fact, wherever She passed, those who saw Her could not help weeping with Her. St. Bernard also says that the holy disciples and women who accompanied Her “mourned even more for Her than for their Lord.
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Kingdom come; Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee; blessed art Thou
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen
Recite Dolor Verse: My Mother! share Thy grief with me, and let me bear Thee
company to mourn Thy Jesus’ death with Thee.
Concluding Chaplet Prayers:
Recite Concluding Prayer : O God, at whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon,
A sword of sorrow did pierce through the most sweet soul of the glorious Virgin and Mother Mary; grant that we, who commemorate and reverence Her sorrows, may experience the blessed effect of Thy Passion, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.Recite Three Hail Marys: In honor of the tears shed by Our Lady in Her Sorrows.
Recite Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, Most gracious Advocate, Thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. AmenConclude with the Sign of the Cross.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR LADY OF SORROWS
(The Virgin Mary speaks to Sister Mary of
Agreda (1602-1665, Spain.)
 |
| Our Lady of Sorrows |
"I desire that the fruit of the obedience with which thou
writest the history of my life shall be, that thou become a true disciple of my
most holy Son and of myself. The main purpose of the exalted and venerable
mysteries, which are made known to thee, and of the teachings, which I so often
repeat to thee, is that thou deny and strip thyself, estranging thy heart from
all affection to creatures, neither wishing to posses them nor accept them for
other uses. By this precaution thou wilt overcome the impediments, which the
devils seek to place in the way of the dangerous softness of thy nature. I who
know thee, thus advise and lead thee by the way of instruction and correction as
Mother and Instructress. By the divine teaching thou knowest the mysteries of
the Passion and Death of Christ and the one true way of life, which is the
Cross; and thou knowest that not all who are called, are chosen. Many there are
who wish to follow Christ and very few who truly dispose themselves to imitate
Him; for as soon as they feel the sufferings of the Cross they cast it aside.
Laborious exertions are very painful and averse to human nature according to the
flesh; and the fruits of the spirit are more hidden and few guide themselves by
the light. On this account there are so many among mortals, who, forgetful of
the eternal truths, seek the flesh; and the continual indulgence of its
pleasures. They ardently seek honors and fly from injuries: they strive after
riches, and condemn poverty; they long after pleasure and dread mortification.
All these are enemies of the Cross of Christ (Phil. 3, 18), and with dreadful
aversion they fly from it, deeming it sheer ignominy, just like those who
crucified Christ, the Lord.
Another deceit has spread through the world: many imagine
that they are following Christ their Master, though they neither suffer
affliction nor engage in any exertion or labor. They are content with avoiding
boldness in committing sins, and place all their perfection in a certain
prudence or hollow self-love, which prevents them from denying anything to their
will and from practicing any virtues at the cost of their flesh. They would
easily escape this deception, if they would consider that my Son was not only
the Redeemer, but their Teacher; and that He left in this world the treasures of
his Redemption not only as a remedy against its eternal ruin, but as a necessary
medicine for the sickness of sin in human nature. No one knew so much as my Son
and Lord; no one could better understand the quality of love than the divine
Lord, who was and is wisdom and charity itself; and no one was more able to
fulfill all his wishes (I John 4, 16). Nevertheless, although He well could do
it, He chose not a life of softness and ease for the flesh, but one full of
labors and pains; for He judged his instructions to be incomplete and
insufficient to redeem man, if He failed teach them how to overcome the demon,
the flesh and their own self. He wished to inculcate, that this magnificent
victory is gained by the Cross, by labors, penances, mortifications and the
acceptance of contempt: all of which are the trademarks and evidences of true
love and the special watchwords of the predestined." ~ The Blessed Virgin Mary
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. July 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
References:
- "Feasts of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 21 Jul. 2012 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14151b.htm>.
- Mary of Agreda. "The Mystical City of God, The Divine History and Life of The Virgin Mother of God", Ami Intl Pr; Abridged edition, 1981
- The Fatima Network. www.fatima.org
- The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori