Homily-
Tuesday of the 24th Week Ord Time Yr . B. / Our Lady of Sorrows
v 1
Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a
v Psalm
100:1b-2,3,4,5
v Luke
2:33-35
Mary Teaches Us How to Live with and Endure Suffering
Yesterday we celebrated the Exaltation of the Cross of Christ! Today we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows,
an “appreciation of Mary’s unique role in the Passion of her Son, Jesus. Her role in the Glory of the Cross of Christ. Pope
Pius VII extended this traditional devotion to the whole Church in 1814.
She accompanied her Son, Jesus patiently from conception,
birth and throughout his ministry. As narrated in the infancy narrative in Matthew
1-2 and Luke 1-2, Mary listened patiently to the voice of the angel Gabriel. She
went to see Elizabeth with that pregnancy.
She brought Jesus for circumcision and presentation in the temple (Luke
2:22-23), which we celebrate on February 2.
Simeon and Anna, especially in the fourth hymn, the “Nunc
dimittis” acclaim Jesus as the savior and the redeemer to the listening
patience of Mary. This Child, Simeon told Mary, “is destined for the falling
and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed, so
that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed- and a sword will pierce your
own soul too.”
Throughout the ministry of Jesus a “sword” as predicted
by the prophets, pierced Mary’ souls. Think of the story of the young Jesus staying
back in the temple in Luke 2:41-52. After the visit to the Jerusalem as was
customary the boy Jesus stayed back. Joseph and Mary reach home, he was nowhere
to be found. Worried they walked back on foot miles, looking for the child.
Finding him they asked, “Child why have you treated us like this? Look, your
father and I have been looking for you in great anxiety” (vv.48ff). He said to
them “why were you looking for me, did you not know that I must be in my father’s
house?”(v.49).
A “sword” pierced Mary’s heart as she lived through the
five sorrowful mysteries. Think of the events of the 14 stations of the cross (Jesus
receiving the cross, Jesus falling the first time, Jesus meeting the mother,
the cross given to Simon of Cyrene, Veronica wiping the face of Jesus, Jesus
falling the second time, women of Jerusalem mourning Jesus, Jesus falling the
third time, striped of his garments and nailed to the cross, dies, taken down
and buried in the Holy Sepulcher etc). She accompanied her son through these
mysterious events!
Mary’s son, Jesus ,went through all these, that gave
sorrow to Mary, the mother, because he preached love, a new way of loving,
mercy, forgiveness, humility, and unity( John 17), that Paul mentions in today’s
reading, that the Corinthians and all of us are Christ’s Body ( 1 Cor 12:12-14,
27-31; cf. I Cor 1:10).
In our difficulties and challenges: poverty, oppression,
threats of terrorism, corona virus, instability in our political capitals,
illnesses, sufferings of our children and loved ones’, and even loss of our
loved ones etc., we what to learn from Mary, how to endure and ponder
everything in our hearts, bring them to the Lord in prayers, faith, hope and
love.
Reflection Questions
1.
What are our
daily sufferings and challenges?
2.
How do we
handle our challenges and sufferings or do we accompany our children and our
friends and neighbors in their sufferings?
3.
Do we bring
everything to God in prayer and encourage others to do the same?
