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Mother of Sorrows, pray for us!

Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, that we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.

1 posted on 09/14/2007 5:13:26 PM PDT by jacero10
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To: jacero10

I read the same verse in the Gospels and saw that Christ gave his mother to John.


2 posted on 09/15/2007 5:15:47 AM PDT by fwdude
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To: jacero10

I read the same verse in the Gospels and saw that Christ gave his mother to John.


3 posted on 09/15/2007 5:16:05 AM PDT by fwdude
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To: jacero10
Always posted on the Daily Readings thread in this form:

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

 

September 15, 2007
Our Lady of Sorrows

For a while there were two feasts in honor of the Sorrowful Mother: one going back to the 15th century, the other to the 17th century. For a while both were celebrated by the universal Church: one on the Friday before Palm Sunday, the other in September.

The principal biblical references to Mary's sorrows are in Luke 2:35 and John 19:26-27. The Lucan passage is Simeon's prediction about a sword piercing Mary's soul; the Johannine passage relates Jesus' words to Mary and to the beloved disciple.

Many early Church writers interpret the sword as Mary's sorrows, especially as she saw Jesus die on the cross. Thus, the two passages are brought together as prediction and fulfillment.

St. Ambrose in particular sees Mary as a sorrowful yet powerful figure at the cross. Mary stood fearlessly at the cross while others fled. Mary looked on her Son's wounds with pity, but saw in them the salvation of the world. As Jesus hung on the cross, Mary did not fear to be killed but offered herself to her persecutors.

Comment:

John's account of Jesus' death is highly symbolic. When Jesus gives the beloved disciple to Mary, we are invited to appreciate Mary's role in the Church: She symbolizes the Church; the beloved disciple represents all believers. As Mary mothered Jesus, she is now mother to all his followers. Furthermore, as Jesus died, he handed over his Spirit. Mary and the Spirit cooperate in begetting new children of God—almost an echo of Luke's account of Jesus' conception. Christians can trust that they will continue to experience the caring presence of Mary and Jesus' Spirit throughout their lives and throughout history.

Quote:

"At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
All his bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword has passed."
(Stabat Mater)



4 posted on 09/15/2007 10:44:42 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: jacero10


Mater Dolorosa - Sorrowing Mother
Rogier van der Weyden - Deposition (detail) -- c. 1435 (Oil on oak panel)
Museo del Prado, Madrid

Stabat Mater Dolorósa
Sequence Hymn

Latin

Stabat Mater dolorósa
iuxta crucem lacrimósa,
dum pendébat Fílius.

Cuius ánimam geméntem,
contristátam et doléntem
pertransívit gládius.

O quam tristis et afflícta
fuit illa benedícta,
mater Unigéniti!

Quæ mærébat et dolébat,
pia Mater, dum vidébat
Nati poenas íncliti.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si vidéret
tanto supplício?
 
Quis non posset contristári,
piam Matrem contemplári
doléntem cum Fílio?

Pro peccátis suæ gentis
vidit lesum in torméntis,
et flagéllis súbditum.

Vidit suum dulcem Natum
moriéndo desolátum,
dum emísit spíritum.
 
Eia, Mater, fons amóris
me sentíre vim dolóris fac,
ut tecum lúgeam.
 
Fac ut árdeat cor meum
in amándo Christum Deum,
ut sibi compláceam.
 
Sancta Mater, istud agas,
Crucifíxi fige plagas
cordi meo válide.
 
Tui Nati vulneráti,
tam dignáti pro me pati,
poenas mecum divide.
 
Fac me tecum pie flere,
Crucifíxo condolére,
donec ego víxero.

Iuxta crucem tecum stare,
ac me tibi sociáre
in planctu desídero.
 
Virgo vírginum præclára,
mihi iam non sis amára,
fac me tecum plángere.
 
Fac ut portem Christi mortem,
passiónis fac me sortem,
et plagas recólere.
 
Fac me plagis vulnerári,
cruce hac inebriári,
et cruóre Filii.
 
Flammis urar succénsus,
per te, Virgo, sim defénsus
in die iudícii.
 
Fac me cruce custodíri,
morte Christi præmuníri,
confovéri grátia.
 
Quando corpus moriétur,
fac ut ánimæ donétur
Paradísi glória.
 
 

English

At the cross her station keeping
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing
now at lenght the sword had passed.

Oh, how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother highly blessed,
of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying, glorious Son.
 
Is there one who would not weep,
'whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother's pain untold?
 
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
she beheld her tender Child
All with scourges rent.
 
For the sins of His own nation,
saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.
 
O sweet Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord.
 
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ, my Lord.
 
Holy Mother! pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my Savior crucified.
 
Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all our sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.
 
Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning Him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live.
 
By the Cross with thee to stay,
there with thee to weep and pray,
is all I ask of thee to give.
 
Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
let me share thy grief divine;
 
Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of thine.
 
Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swooned,
in His very Blood away;
 
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgment Day.
 
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
by Thy Mother my defense,
by Thy Cross my victory;
 
While my body here decays,
may my soul Thy goodness praise,
safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
 


8 posted on 09/15/2008 8:50:41 AM PDT by Salvation ( †With God all things are possible.†)
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