Guest Column: "The Sorrowful Mother: Not Your Typical Mary"

By Paige McCormick
Charleston, South Carolina

The Mary I recall from my childhood and that we see so often on cards, church windows and statues looks a bit like this…placid, gazing toward heaven, hands folded neatly in prayer. A beautiful mother and regal queen, she is subdued and majestic. In my walk with Mary, I have discovered a side to Her that inspires me far more than these images. She is called The Sorrowful Mother. And She is anything but peaceful.

In thinking of the lives of Jesus and his mother, there are certainly times of great joy and hope. They are the basis of our optimism in the future, a source of peace in times of trouble. However, the true heart of the life of a Christian resides not only in joy, but also in the pain of the Crucifixion. The symbol of our faith is not a radiant Jesus, or even an image of the Bible, but the Cross, a device of torture and death. It is the aspect of Mary who is intimate with Christ’s suffering and death on the Cross that inspires me.

Our world is one in a constant state of pain and fear. The news is rife with reports on murders, natural catastrophes, terrible diseases…the list goes on. I find great comfort in knowing that the Lady I ask to help me in prayer is intimate with pain. Consider Mary’s life. Jesus is born and she and Joseph take him to the temple. What does she hear when she is there? A blessing, yes, but also Simeon’s prophecy… “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." (Luke 2: 34-35). She knows, right then, that her child’s life will be filled with pain. She follows him throughout his trials, meeting him on the road to the cross, standing and watching the crucifixion, taking him down from the cross, going to the tomb. She watches as her only child is humiliated, tortured and dies. This is a Mother who understands pain and if we ask, can artfully articulate our pain to Jesus, her Divine Son.

As a Catholic, I am blessed with many devotions to deepen my connection with Christ. As a woman, I connect with his Mother, with Her pains, Her life. Devotion to the Sorrowful Mother has been in place since the 13th Century. According to St. Bridget of Sweden who lived during that time, the Blessed Mother grants seven graces to those who honor her daily by meditating on her tears and pains and praying seven Hail Marys for each sorrow. The Sorrowful Rosary chaplet is a lovely way to do this. Focusing on the pains of Mary points us directly to the pains of Jesus and impresses upon us the sacrifice that He made for us.

So, if you think that you could feel closer to God by meditating on his Son’s pain, I urge you to look deeper into the devotion to the Seven Sorrows of his mother. She is a powerful reminder of what women can endure and the strength that we possess. And She will always guide us closer to her Son.

To learn more about the Sorrowful Mother, visit:
http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Faith/1998-03-04/sorrows.html http://www.7dolors.com/

http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/BVM/SMDolorosa.html

-- A resident of Charleston, South Carolina, Paige is a devoted wife and mother of two young sons. She is an active homeschooler and attends the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.