Mary, Queen of Martyrs: Our Lady of Sorrows
I truly believe that one of the greatest struggles of life is to experience loss. We can be afraid of losing something such as our career, position, popularity, even money. It can be more challenging when we fear losing someone we love. One day they are in our life and the next thing we know, they are gone. Loss is difficult. There is a type of martyrdom with grieving and loss, but we must not think that God does not understand this kind of pain. God gives us the example of His Mother Mary, who grieved with an unimaginable grief for the pain of the death of her Son, Jesus. Mary is the Queen of Martyrs.
The Church teaches that martyrdom “is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith; it means bearing witness even unto death” (CCC 2473). The witness of the martyrs is truly heroic. When we consider the martyrdom of Mary, we can take note of the words of the medieval theologian Richard of St. Victor, who says, “in martyrs, the intensity of their love mitigated their sufferings, but with Mary it was different; the more she loved, the more she suffered and the greater was her martyrdom!”
One of the most painful experiences imaginable that a mother could go through is experiencing the death of her child. This month, the Church invites us to stand at the foot of the Cross with Mary and comfort her as she beholds her dying Son. What agony engulfed the heart of Mary as she witnessed the tortures of her Son; the beatings, the humiliations, the mockery, all of the blood that He gave so willingly for our redemption. Yet, Christ willed that His mother should suffer, for she as the mother of the Redeemer was to participate in an extraordinary way in the work of redemption. The sacrifice that Mary made was so great that St. Alphonsus says, “Two hung upon one Cross.” Mary’s one consolation was that she knew we would be redeemed.
Mary’s motherly tenderness continues with us here on earth. Since Mary is the Mother of Christ, she is the Mother of the Church and she wishes to intercede for us in our pains and in our sorrows. St. Louis de Montfort once said that “if you put all the love of all the mothers into one heart, it still would not equal the love of the heart of Mary for her children.” Mary loves us with a generous, open heart. She is with us in our pain, especially in those moments of grief and loss. She willingly accepted to be our mother at the foot of the Cross. Do we wish to console the heart of Mary? Developing a devotion to the Sorrowful Mother is a beautiful way to do this. Here are the Seven Sorrows of Mary along with some Scripture passages that can help for your meditation:
The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25–35)
The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15)
Loss of the Child Jesus for three days (Luke 2:41–50)
Mary meets Jesus on His way to Calvary (Luke 23:27–31; John 19:17)
Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25–30)
Jesus is taken down from the Cross (Psalm 130; Luke 23:50–54; John 19:31–37)
Jesus is buried (Isaiah 53:8; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42; Mark 15:40–47)
Mary also gives us some significant promises for meditating on her sorrows. These promises were given to St. Briget of Sweden:
I will grant peace to their families.
They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries.
I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.
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.
I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
I will visibly help them at the moment of their death — they will see the face of their mother.
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.
In addition to these promises, it was revealed to St. Elizabeth of Hungary that Mary and Jesus appeared to St. John the Apostle and he heard Mary asking Jesus for special graces for those who were devoted to her sorrows:
That those who before death invoke the divine Mother in the name of Her Sorrows will obtain true repentance of all their sins;
That He will protect all who have this devotion in their tribulations, and will protect them especially at the hour of death;
That He will impress on their minds the remembrance of His Passion;
That He will place such devout servants in Mother Mary’s hands to do with them as She wishes and to obtain for them all the graces She desires.
So let us humbly reflect on the Sorrows of Mary this month of September and perhaps let us pray in a special way for those who are experiencing grieving at this time, especially those parents who have lost their children due to tragic circumstances. May Our Lady, the Sorrowful Mother and Queen of Martyrs pray for us.
