Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
from St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Glories of Mary
from St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Glories of Mary
Let us imagine then that the divine mother standing
near her Son dying upon the cross and justly applying to herself the words of
Jeremias says to us: “Oh all ye that pass by the way attend and see if there be
any sorrow like to my sorrow. Oh ye that
are passing your lives upon this earth and have no pity for me stop a while to
look upon me now that I behold this beloved Son dying before my eyes, and then
see if among all who are afflicted and tormented there be sorrow like to my
sorrow.” “No,” answers St Bonaventure,
“there can be found no sorrow, oh afflicted mother, more bitter than thine, for no son can be found more dear than thine. “Ah, there has never been in the world” says St Lawrence Justinian, “a son more worthy of love than Jesus, nor a mother who loved her son more than Mary. If, then, there has never been in the world a love like the love of Mary, how can there be a grief like the grief of Mary?
“there can be found no sorrow, oh afflicted mother, more bitter than thine, for no son can be found more dear than thine. “Ah, there has never been in the world” says St Lawrence Justinian, “a son more worthy of love than Jesus, nor a mother who loved her son more than Mary. If, then, there has never been in the world a love like the love of Mary, how can there be a grief like the grief of Mary?
It was revealed to St Elizabeth, that St John the
Evangelist after the blessed Virgin was assumed into heaven desired to see her
again. This favor was granted him, and his dear mother appeared to him and
Jesus Christ with her. St. John heard
Mary asking of her Son some peculiar grace for those who were devoted to her sorrows,
and Jesus promised her for them the four following special graces:
1st
That those who invoke the divine mother by her sorrows before death will merit
to obtain true repentance of all their sins
2d
That
he will protect such in their tribulations especially at the hour of death
3d
That he will impress upon them the memory of his passion and that they shall
have their reward for it in heaven
4th
That he will commit such devout servants to the hands of Mary that she may
dispose of them according to her pleasure and obtain for them all the graces
she desires.
Our Blessed Mother revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden
that she grants the following seven graces to the souls who honor her daily by
saying seven Hail Marys while meditating on her tears and sorrows:
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 sorrows 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.”
Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
1. Prophecy
of Simeon (Luke 2:34,35)
2. Flight
into Egypt (Matthew 2:13,14)
3. Loss
of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:43-44)
4. Meeting
of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross
5. The
Crucifixion
6. Taking
down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross
7. The
burial of Jesus
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