We look to the Doctor of the Church, Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, to contemplate Our Lady’s Sorrows this month. Saint Alphonsus is one of the prime theologians on the Seven Sorrows of Mary. He was born in the month of September, 1696, in the city of Marianella, Italy. He became a bishop and founded the Redemptorists. He lived a long life and died not far from the place of his birth, in 1787.
One of the best-known works of Saint Alphonsus is The Glories of Mary. This is a collection of 5 books in one, one of which is “Of the Dolours of Mary.” In this part, Alphonsus meditates on all Seven Sorrows and provides a prayer for each. Following is an excerpt from the First Sorrow, “The Prophecy of Simeon.” This Sorrow deals with Our Lady’s knowledge and anguish at the future sufferings of her Son.
Today, for those paying attention, we are all in anticipation of how the crises in the world will play out. Let us learn peace and acceptance from Our Lady of Sorrows. Not complacency, but inner peace in the midst of these concerns. We know God will always be with His children.
St. Alphonsus de Liguori’s Meditations on the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saint Alphonsus begins with this sentiment:
“Mary was the Queen of Martyrs, for her martyrdom was longer and greater than that of all the Martyrs.”
In this valley of tears every man is born to weep, and all must suffer, by enduring the evils which are of daily occurrence. But how much greater would the misery of life be, did we also know the future evils which await us! “Unfortunate, indeed, would his lot be,” says Seneca, “who, knowing the future, would have to suffer all by anticipation.”
Our Lord shows us this mercy. He conceals the trials which await us, that, whatever they may be, we may endure them but once. He did not show Mary this compassion; for she, whom God willed to be the Queen of Sorrows, and in all things like His Son, had to see always before her eyes and continually to suffer all the torments that awaited her; and these were the sufferings of the Passion and death of her beloved Jesus; for in the temple Saint Simeon, having received the Divine Child in his arms, foretold to her that that Son would be a mark for all the persecutions and oppositions of men.
“Behold, this Child is set . . . for a sign which shall be contradicted.”
And therefore, that a sword of sorrow should pierce her soul:
“And thy own soul a sword shall pierce.”
…Since, then, Jesus, our King, and His most holy Mother, did not refuse, for love of us, to suffer such cruel pains throughout their lives, it is reasonable that we, at least, should not complain if we have to suffer something. Jesus, crucified, once appeared to Sister Magdalen Orsini, a Dominicaness, who had been long suffering under a great trial, and encouraged her to remain, by means of that affliction, with Him on the cross. Sister Magdalen complainingly answered: “O Lord, Thou wast tortured on the cross only for three hours, and I have endured my pain for many years.” The Redeemer then replied: “Ah, ignorant soul, what dost thou say? From the first moment of My conception I suffered in heart all that I afterwards endured dying on the cross.” If, then, we also suffer and complain, let us imagine Jesus, and His Mother Mary, addressing the same words to ourselves.
Prayer
Ah, my Blessed Mother, it is not one sword only with which I have pierced thy heart, but I have done so with as many as are the sins which I have committed. Ah, Lady, it is not to thee, who art innocent, that sufferings are due, but to me, who am guilty of so many crimes. But since thou hast been pleased to suffer so much for me, ah, by thy merits, obtain me great sorrow for my sins, and patience under the trials of this life, which will always be light in comparison with my demerits, for I have often deserved Hell.
Amen.
September 12th is the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary. From the Collect of the Tridentine Mass:
“Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that Thy faithful, happy under the invocation and protection of the most holy Virgin Mary, may, by her dear intercession, be delivered from all evils on earth and be worthy to attain unto eternal joys in Heaven.”
And again from Saint Alphonsus:
“Oh, my sweet Lady and Mother, I love thee much, and because I love thee, I love also thy holy name. I purpose and hope with thy aid always to invoke it in life and death.”
Notable feasts for the rest of the month:
14th-Exaltation of the Holy Cross
15th-SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY / OUR LADY OF SORROWS
17th-Stigmata of Saint Francis of Assisi / Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Doctor of the Church
21st-Saint Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist
23rd-Saint Pio of Pietrelcina / Ember Wednesday of September or Autumn
24th-OUR LADY OF RANSOM
25th-Ember Friday
26th-Ember Saturday
29th-Saints Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, the Archangels
30th-Saint Jerome, Doctor of the Church
****** Prepper Challenge for september ******
What is My Contribution? What is My Special Gift?
Your community and the Church are going to need you in the coming days. What will you specialize in that will be a significant contribution? Every prepper tends to develop a skill or two that is specialized. What interests you? What is a “sustainable” skill that will have value even in a grid-down (no electricity) situation? Do you already have a skill? Can you improve it? Can you learn a new one? Think and pray about it!