The Sorrowful Mysteries of Mary

 

There is a rosary meditation which I have begun praying recently.  It is a meditation on the seven sorrowful mysteries of Mary’s life.  And in my meditations, I sometimes consider how I might have reacted to particular events if I were in Mary’s place.

The Seven Sorrowful Mysteries of Mary
1. The Prophecy of Simeon
2. The Flight into Egypt
3. The loss of the child Jesus
4. The carrying of the cross
5. The crucifixion and death of Jesus
6. The taking of Jesus down from the cross
7. The burying of Jesus in the tomb

The first sorrowful mystery occurs in the temple where the baby Jesus had been taken, according to Jewish ritual.  It was a day of joy, but then this stranger, Simeon, held the baby and spoke of bad things to happen to Him.  It was as if someone had spoken up at a baby’s christening and said: “Well, you know he’s gonna die soon.”  While I can imagine Mary’s feelings and reactions, my own gut feeling would been to defend what I thought I knew: “You worry too much, Simeon.  Go away!  This is God you are talking about!  I’m his mother, and I’ll protect Him!!”  Scripture says Mary may have put those events in her heart, but I could have seen myself putting them in my mouth and speaking out rashly.

In the next mystery, an angel appeared and told Joseph and Mary to flee Herod who was trying to kill Jesus, and so Mary and Joseph raced away with the child to Egypt.  I know what I would have been thinking there also, if not voicing aloud: “What the heck?  This is God!  Surely, He wasn’t delivered to me so I could watch Him be slaughtered as a baby!”  Oh, I probably would have obeyed the angel and fled as they did, but I’d thought: “What the heck?”

And there is the Third Sorrowful Mystery, the loss of the child Jesus on the way home from Jerusalem.  This was a turning point for Jesus, “I must be about My Father’s work,” He said, and certainly it also was a turning point for Mary.  Surely, she must have reacted in sorrow when it was discovered Jesus wasn’t with the caravan, and Mary must have blamed herself for not watching Jesus more closely.  Those must have been very sorrowful days as she and Joseph searched for Him.  But then He told them that He had chosen not to go with them, and Mary realized things had changed --- or perhaps they were never as she thought.  When Jesus’ future was spoken of darkly by Simeon, or when the angel said to flee to Egypt, or now when she had lost Him, she had felt a mother’s love and fear for her child.  In His young age (and hers), she didn’t want to consider two points that are common to every child:  He’s going to grow up, leave and live His life --- and He’s going to die, only Jesus’ death would have great meaning. In her place, I don’t think I’d have considered those things either, only I would have reacted less saintly.

The rosary’s last four mysteries of Mary concern her reactions to the Passion, death and burial of Jesus. Here she knew she was not in control.  Looking back, Mary could see how these seven events of her past were all related. These were certainly key sorrowful events for her, but all were meant to be.  It was not about things in her control, as she thought in the beginning; it was always about God’s plans and control.

Perhaps Mary wouldn’t have thought as I would have in the beginning, so selfishly.  Despite the assurances of angels, I would have been seeking control of the situation.  In the end, all Mary could do was follow the cross, watch Him die, and then watch Him taken down and buried.  All was beyond her control, and surely she trusted, during this entire sequence of events.  In my life, I need to trust more.

Today we pray the Divine Mercy prayer, which Jesus asked Sr. Faustina to start: “Eternal Father, I offer You the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.  For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”  The picture associated with that prayer is the Risen Jesus, with rays of light coming from His wounded heart, and at His feet are the words: “I trust in You.”  That is the summary of what Jesus’ life was all about, and where the world is today. 

Like the mother Mary, many in the world today may think they are in control of their lives.  But Mary pointed her will at what Jesus would later call the two great commandments.  She loved God, and she loved her neighbor --- and she trusted God.  I’m sure Mary and Joseph couldn’t see the BIG picture.  They had human reactions to events in their lives, despite God being their Son.  Surely it must have been hard for them to trust that all would turn out well, and so Mary experienced sorrows --- along the way to a joyous end.  We need to trust today that all our sorrows will have a joyous end also.  Jesus said so.

That Divine Mercy picture and words “I trust in You” hang on my kitchen wall.  I pray it often.  With all the sorrows in my life and in the world, I find it hard to trust.  I’m glad Jesus came and asked that picture to be made.  I’m grateful for Mary’s example of how to bear sorrows.  In the world, we all need to look on the risen Jesus, and pray most sincerely: “I trust in You.”  Then, love God, love neighbor, and trust we will see a joyous end.  And that key trust will enable us to have many joys along the ways of our lives, despite the sorrows which must come.  We need to react to sorrows as Mary did, not as I may have.  And I need to change my heart to be more like hers.