Sept 15 2006 Our Lady of Sorrows
Phil 2:6-11
Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jn 19:25-27 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his motherand his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple,“Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
or Lk 2:33-35 Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
We have an old statue in our monastery at the end of the infirmary hall of "Our Lady of Sorrows" It is on a stand and maybe 8 feet tall. The Blessed Virgin Mary is looking in suffering with her eyes to heaven and her heart is pierced with multiple swords in her heart. In some ways the statue is a reminder of the older monastery that it came from. It can at times seem a bit gruesome and sad. I think there are varied responses that people have when seeing it. I find a contradiction and a lesson in the statue. The depiction and style of the art is in some ways very pedistrian and garish. The sentiment of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her facial expressions are greatly exagerated. In my practice of religious life there is a true joy in faith and I agree with Saint Therese who said "protect me from sour mouthed saints." I do not believe that God made us to be sorrowful all the time and dredged in regret and self blame.
I do think that there is a lesson in accepting the will of God even if it means that your only Son dies on a cross. This is a sorrow and I could see how Simeon would predict that Mary's heart would be pierced. There is no doubt that to be Christian means being willing to accept the suffering along with the joy and live a life in response to God's will and love. On the other hand there are lessons in Scripture that when we have been fasting to wash our faces and look fresh and alive and not show all our charities to all. It is good enought that God knows what we have done. The sorrow of losses in this world is reconciled with the kingdom of God. Those who mourn will be comforted.
I have been reading from Origins CNS: vol 36, no 12 2006: "Religious Life at the Crossroads" by Father Couturier, OFM Cap. from an address to a Conference of Major Superiorsof Men in an annual assembly this August in Burlington Vermont."I want to suggest that we who are crossing the millenial divide must also 'live carefully, knowingly, and cunningly'at the delicate boundary where theological mission and pragmatic politics intersect...We are at the threshold of a new era, one we might call the 'international mission culture,' that must engage the globalization of human suffering for the first time, not with the tired tools of Enlightenment activism but with the twin Catholic principles of communion and trascendent desire." p.182
"What diminishes us is diminshment thinking. What enlivens us is a renewed love and commitment to the God who is good, all good, supremely good, all the time and to everyone." p. 188
I see this as a matter of the spirit and vision in living a Gospel life. It is how we do what we do not only what we do. Is there the love and goodness in my actions yesterday? Can I be more loving and sharing of the love and goodness in that I do today? I pray for an open spirit and a listening heart as I begin a new day and pray that the Holy Spirit guide me and my ears be open to the needs of all I encounter this day.
Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jn 19:25-27 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his motherand his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple,“Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
or Lk 2:33-35 Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
We have an old statue in our monastery at the end of the infirmary hall of "Our Lady of Sorrows" It is on a stand and maybe 8 feet tall. The Blessed Virgin Mary is looking in suffering with her eyes to heaven and her heart is pierced with multiple swords in her heart. In some ways the statue is a reminder of the older monastery that it came from. It can at times seem a bit gruesome and sad. I think there are varied responses that people have when seeing it. I find a contradiction and a lesson in the statue. The depiction and style of the art is in some ways very pedistrian and garish. The sentiment of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her facial expressions are greatly exagerated. In my practice of religious life there is a true joy in faith and I agree with Saint Therese who said "protect me from sour mouthed saints." I do not believe that God made us to be sorrowful all the time and dredged in regret and self blame.
I do think that there is a lesson in accepting the will of God even if it means that your only Son dies on a cross. This is a sorrow and I could see how Simeon would predict that Mary's heart would be pierced. There is no doubt that to be Christian means being willing to accept the suffering along with the joy and live a life in response to God's will and love. On the other hand there are lessons in Scripture that when we have been fasting to wash our faces and look fresh and alive and not show all our charities to all. It is good enought that God knows what we have done. The sorrow of losses in this world is reconciled with the kingdom of God. Those who mourn will be comforted.
I have been reading from Origins CNS: vol 36, no 12 2006: "Religious Life at the Crossroads" by Father Couturier, OFM Cap. from an address to a Conference of Major Superiorsof Men in an annual assembly this August in Burlington Vermont."I want to suggest that we who are crossing the millenial divide must also 'live carefully, knowingly, and cunningly'at the delicate boundary where theological mission and pragmatic politics intersect...We are at the threshold of a new era, one we might call the 'international mission culture,' that must engage the globalization of human suffering for the first time, not with the tired tools of Enlightenment activism but with the twin Catholic principles of communion and trascendent desire." p.182
"What diminishes us is diminshment thinking. What enlivens us is a renewed love and commitment to the God who is good, all good, supremely good, all the time and to everyone." p. 188
I see this as a matter of the spirit and vision in living a Gospel life. It is how we do what we do not only what we do. Is there the love and goodness in my actions yesterday? Can I be more loving and sharing of the love and goodness in that I do today? I pray for an open spirit and a listening heart as I begin a new day and pray that the Holy Spirit guide me and my ears be open to the needs of all I encounter this day.
posted by Joan Morris at 5:14 AM
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