Our Lady of Sorrows | Wednesday 15 September 2021

Today is Wednesday the 15 September, Our Lady of Sorrows.

Ex Cathedra, directed by Jeffrey Skidmore, sing Versa est in luctum by Alonso Lobo.   Versa est in luctum: My harp is tuned for sorrow. ‘Tuning your harp for sorrow’ is a conscious, deliberate preparation for sadness to come. We will recall in prayer today, Mary’s suffering at the foot of the Cross… as you begin to pray, you might like to place yourself with her there now…how do you picture your surroundings? The people around you? The devastating scene in front of you…

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 19:25-27

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

The mother of Jesus was “standing near the cross of Jesus”. Take a moment to imagine all this… How was she feeling at this point?…. How was Jesus feeling, do you think?

“The disciple whom [Jesus] loved”: can you identify with this person?

“Woman, here is your son”. How might Mary have understood this?

Now listen as the passage is read again, and notice how it ends: “the disciple took her into his own home”.

Finally, face Jesus on the cross; notice what feelings are welling up inside you, and see if you can turn them into a prayer to Jesus.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.