Lessons from our Lady of Sorrow

 Reflection on Today's Readings, the Memorial of our Lady of Sorrow, Wednesday 15th September, 2021
Texts:  Tim. 3:14-16; Ps.111:1b-6; John 19:25b-27
Today we celebrate our Lady of Sorrow. This celebration reminds us of two things: The reality of sorrow and the participation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the passion of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Sorrow is part of life. It was a human expection that she who would give birth to the Saviour of the world should know no sorrow. Blessed Virgin Mary was not exempted from the lot that falls to man. Sorrow is part of what everyone must experience. For the righteous, sorrow is savific; it has a saving effect. Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us to bear with joy and firm hope in God any sorrow that comes on our ways. Not all sorrows are due to sin. The sorrow of the Blessed Virgin Mary is not because of sin but for our salvation. Blessed Virgin Mary experienced sorrow for our salvation. God could will that we experience sorrow for the salvation of others and also our own. This teaches us to embrace our lot in christ with joy and faith in God.
The Memorial of our Lady also reminds us her participation in the suffering of Christ. The suffering is Christ’s but being mother she shared from it. This reminds us how we share from the suffering of one another. This also reminds us of how we inflict pains on others by our own misdeeds. A child who is wayward inflicts sorrow on his parents. Parents who are not responsible inflict pains on their children. Friends and well wishers share from our sufferings. The sacrifices we make we do not make alone. Let us be mindful of what we do; let us be mindful of our ways of lives. Let us be considerate as we remember that some people are part and parcel of lives and share from the consequences of our actions and our ways of life. This fact is evident as we celebrate our Lady  of Sorrow today.
Today's gospel reading shows us how the Blessed Virgin Mary incurred her sorrow. She was present at the foot of the Cross, beholding her dieing only son. All mothers could relate to this. She stood with her son till the end of His life, sharing in His pains and sufferings.
Today's first reading reminds us that there is a proper way to behave in the house of God. The right disposition in the Church is active conscious participation in the mystery that the celebration unfolds before us. We need to concentrate on the sacred celebration and immerse ourselves in it.
The reading also reminds us that Church is the pillar of truth. This calls us to take seriously the teaching of the Church, for it is the truth. It also reminds the Church what she is: the Church must always keep to the truth. The Church should not deviate from the truth. The Church should always seek the truth and speak it at all times.

We thank You, our Lord and God, for the gift of the Blessed Virgin Mary to humanity. May she obtain for us the grace to live through the sorrow of this life. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke