By Vanessa Gallegos | FaithandFrame.org
Introduction
September holds a unique place in the Church’s liturgical devotion. While many months are dedicated to particular mysteries or saints, September invites us to walk closely with Mary under one of her most profound titles: Our Lady of Sorrows.
The Church dedicates this month to reflecting on Mary’s sufferings—her Seven Sorrows—and on how her compassionate heart was so closely united to her Son’s Passion. Through Mary, we are reminded of the beauty of redemptive suffering: that our own crosses, united with Christ, can become instruments of grace, healing, and transformation.
Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, teaches us what it means to stay faithful, even when standing at the foot of the Cross. In her unwavering love, she becomes a model for us in seasons of trial, grief, and uncertainty.
In this reflection, we will:
- Explore the history and meaning of devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows.
- Meditate on Mary’s Seven Sorrows and their significance for our spiritual lives.
- Consider how we, too, can unite our sufferings with Christ through Mary’s intercession.
- Discover practical ways to live out this devotion in September—and throughout the year.
1. Who is Our Lady of Sorrows?
The title Our Lady of Sorrows highlights Mary’s unique participation in her Son’s suffering. While Christ bore the weight of humanity’s sin, Mary suffered alongside Him as a mother, pierced with grief and love.
This devotion emphasizes her role as:
- Co-sufferer with Christ: Not as a redeemer, but as the mother who stood beside her Son in His Passion.
- Model of compassion: Her very name—“compassion”—means “to suffer with.” She entered into Jesus’ pain with a mother’s heart.
- Intercessor in our grief: Because she knows sorrow intimately, she is uniquely close to those who suffer.
The devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows is deeply rooted in Scripture, especially in Simeon’s prophecy in Luke 2:34–35:
“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted—and you yourself a sword will pierce—so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
That “sword” would cut deeply into Mary’s heart, not once, but seven times, as she endured sorrow after sorrow alongside her Son.
2. The Seven Sorrows of Mary
The devotion centers on seven key moments of suffering in Mary’s life, known as the Seven Sorrows (or Dolors).
1. The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25–35)
When Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple, Simeon revealed that Mary’s child was destined for greatness, but also for suffering. His words foreshadowed the piercing sorrow she would endure.
Reflection: How often in our lives does joy mingle with sorrow? Mary reminds us that even the greatest blessings may come with a cross, yet God’s plan remains loving and good.
2. The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15)
Soon after His birth, the Holy Family fled into exile to escape King Herod’s deadly plot. Mary and Joseph endured fear, uncertainty, and the hardship of leaving everything behind.
Reflection: Many families today know the pain of displacement, poverty, or danger. In Our Lady of Sorrows, they find a mother who understands. She shows us how to trust God even when the road ahead is uncertain.
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41–50)
At just twelve years old, Jesus was lost for three days in Jerusalem. For Mary, this was not only the anguish of a mother searching for her child but also a foreshadowing of the three days He would be in the tomb.
Reflection: When God seems absent or silent, Mary teaches us patience and perseverance. She invites us to keep searching, trusting that Christ is never truly far from us.
4. Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary (Luke 23:27–31; John 19:17)
Imagine Mary’s heartbreak as she encountered her Son, beaten and carrying His Cross through the streets of Jerusalem. She could not stop His suffering, but she walked with Him.
Reflection: Sometimes love means presence, not solutions. When our loved ones suffer, we may not be able to “fix” their pain, but we can stand beside them with faithful love, as Mary did.
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25–30)
Mary stood at the foot of the Cross, watching her Son’s final agony. Here, Christ entrusted her to us: “Woman, behold your son” … “Behold, your mother.” (John 19:26–27).
Reflection: At Calvary, Mary became the Mother of the Church. She teaches us that even in the darkest hour, faith and love endure.
6. The Body of Jesus is Placed in Mary’s Arms (Luke 23:50–54; John 19:31–34, 38)
After His death, Jesus was taken down from the Cross and laid in Mary’s arms. The Pietà captures this sorrow: a mother cradling her lifeless child.
Reflection: Mary shows us how to hold grief with dignity and faith, not despair. Her arms remind us that love does not end with death.
7. The Burial of Jesus (Luke 23:55–56)
Finally, Mary watched as her Son was laid in the tomb. For Mary, it was the silence of separation. Yet she never stopped believing in God’s promise.
Reflection: When all seems lost, Mary models hope. She believed—even in the silence of Holy Saturday—that God’s plan was not finished.
3. Why Meditate on the Sorrows of Mary?
Meditating on Mary’s sorrows is not about dwelling in sadness. It is about:
- Learning compassion: To suffer with others, as Mary did with Christ.
- Finding meaning in suffering: Our pain, united with Christ’s, is never wasted.
- Strengthening faith: Mary teaches us how to trust in God’s promises even when life feels dark.
- Deepening love for Christ: Through Mary, we see the Passion not only as history but as a lived reality in the heart of a mother.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori wrote:
“If we wish to please the heart of our Blessed Mother, let us often remember her sorrows.”
By remembering, we console her—and we also find consolation ourselves.
4. September: Living with Our Lady of Sorrows
The Church dedicates the entire month of September to this devotion, and September 15th is celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Here are some ways to live this devotion in daily life:
Pray the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows
This rosary-like devotion includes seven groups of seven Hail Marys, each dedicated to one of the Seven Sorrows.
Meditate Daily on a Sorrow
Choose one sorrow each day of the week. Reflect on Scripture, and invite Mary to walk with you in your own trials.
Attend Mass on September 15th
Offer your intentions with Mary at the foot of the Cross.
Unite Your Suffering to Mary’s
When facing difficulties—whether big or small—pray: “Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, help me unite this cross to Jesus.”
Console Others
Imitate Mary’s compassion by accompanying others in their struggles. Be a presence of hope, even when you cannot offer solutions.
5. Mary’s Compassion in Our Own Lives
Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, is not distant. She is a mother who walks with us in:
- Grief: She comforts parents who lose a child, families broken by illness or tragedy, and anyone mourning separation.
- Uncertainty: She stands beside those forced to flee their homes, those who lose jobs, or those navigating difficult transitions.
- Loneliness: She understands the pain of searching for Christ in seasons of silence.
- Helplessness: She shows us how to stay present when loved ones suffer.
Her example assures us: no cross is carried alone.
6. Saints and Our Lady of Sorrows
Many saints had deep devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows:
- St. Alphonsus Liguori promoted meditation on her Dolors.
- St. Padre Pio urged the faithful to pray the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows.
- St. Teresa of Calcutta often invoked Mary as Mother of the poor and suffering.
Their lives remind us that devotion to Mary always leads us closer to Christ.
7. A Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows
O Mother of Sorrows,
you stood faithfully by the Cross of Jesus.
You know the depth of suffering and the cost of love.
Teach us to unite our hearts with yours,
to accept life’s crosses with courage,
and to trust always in the power of Christ’s Resurrection.Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows,
pray for us, that we may stay faithful at the foot of the Cross.
Amen.
Conclusion
September is a month of compassion, reflection, and hope. By meditating on the Seven Sorrows, we are drawn into Mary’s heart—a heart pierced but never broken, sorrowful but faithful, grieving yet filled with hope.
Through Mary, we learn that suffering does not have the last word. Love does.
So this September, let us stay close to Our Lady of Sorrows. Let us bring our wounds, fears, and tears to her motherly heart. And let us pray with confidence:
Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us, that we may stay faithful at the foot of the Cross.