Mary's Sorrow

I once knew a cradle Catholic who always seemed to be talking about the misery, pain, and suffering of Jesus, and particularly Mary.  As a convert, those topics still to this day, kind of make me want to tune them out - it's not comfortable.  As a protestant, we always liked to focus on the notion that God is love and on the glorified resurrected Christ...not the passion of the Christ...and certainly not of the seven swords piercing Mary's heart (or Our Lady of Sorrows).

So, every time this woman would talk about the seven swords piercing Mary's heart, I would get a little squeamish inside and try to look for a quick escape route!  Of course, I understand  - or try to understand - Mary's horrific pain from enduring the suffering and death of her beloved son, but I did not fully understand the devotion to it.  That is until a few days ago.

A teacher at a local Catholic high school was arrested over the weekend for having an ongoing relationship with a sixteen year old female student.  Of course he is on house arrest at this point, but the sherriff's department has a taped confession.  Sooooo, when I found out the news I was just so so sad.  I was sad for him because I knew he had just ended his life, I was sad for the girl because her childhood was robbed from her (among other things), I was sad for her parents and extended family, I was sad for the school and its reputation, I was sad for the school's administration as I know they must be working in a very stressful environment right now, I was sad for our Archdiocese because this makes all Catholic schools look bad...and then I just kept on feeling sad.

I knew I needed to pull myself out of my sadness, but I needed to find out why I was so sad.  And then it hit me!  I am a former middle school teacher.  I loved my students as if they were my own.  I could have never hurt them (at least intentionally).  I realized I was grieving for all teachers.  With the news of this teacher's heinous crime, I was grieving along with all other teachers.  We feel the pain of another's sins.  That is how it must be for our Lady.  As we are all her children, and she our mother, she feels the pain of all our sins.  I have a deeper understanding of Mary; she continues to beckon me on my journey towards her son.  I am now really looking forward to our annual women's healing mass on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.  It was truly divine providence that our parish's retired priest decided to start this tradition at our parish two years ago and have me and the Respect Life Ministry head it.  May you seek to comfort those who are in pain and sorrow.  God bless +

Link to info on the seven sorrows of Mary:
http://www.olrl.org/pray/msorrows.shtml