This month is generally devoted to the consideration of the Heart of Mary
and her Seven Dolors. Not only should we have a special devotion to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, but there are good reasons for us to have a
devotion to the heart of Mary, so full of love for us, and to her dolors
in connection with the redemption of mankind. Her life was full of sorrow,
because she was actuated by the same sentiments as Our Lord in His desire
to redeem us from the slavery of Satan. What heart, in fact, has ever been
so intimately identified with that of Jesus as was Mary’s? He died on the
cross, and Mary stood beneath it, faithful to the end.
Our Lord, in His thirty years’ ministry, labored among the people,
preaching and healing the sick, and Mary was certainly in perfect sympathy
with Him in His great work. We are struck with the adorable goodness of
His divine Heart, and for the same reason we are attracted to the heart of
Mary.
We will, then, during this month of September, pray to the heart of our
beloved Mother, setting before our minds the goodness of that loving heart
towards her children in this vale of tears. Let us love and honor these
two hearts so intimately united; let us go to God the Father through the
Heart of Jesus: and to the divine Saviour through the heart of Mary. We
can obtain all things from the Father and the Holy Ghost through the Heart
of Jesus; and all things from the Son through the heart of His blessed
Mother.
Considerations and Prayers for Every Day.
First Day.
Nowhere in the Old Testament, do we approach God more closely than in the
book of Job, where we see the great prophet of God enduring so patiently
the many sufferings that God has permitted; and nowhere do we recognize
Him as the great Father good and kind to His children as in the same book.
Job was a figure of Christ. There is something very holy in suffering
endured in compliance to the will of God. To‐day, then, we are to begin to
think of Mary’s sorrowful heart, and we will contemplate how the
mysterious ways of Providence, the love of God, His mercy and kindness,
inflicts chastisements on the Mother of His much loved Son. In the silence
of the thirty years of Christ on earth, in the silence of the hours of
agony on the cross, and in the silence of Mary underneath the cross, we
will see the silence of a heart filled with sorrow, which God is imposing
on His children for the good of mankind. The Church sets before our minds
the seven sorrows of Mary, telling us the principal causes of her great
grief in the life of Jesus.
Prayer.
O heart of Mary, I offer, I consecrate to thee my heart! Thou shalt be the
object of my veneration, love and confidence; I will pay thee my devotions
every day; I will celebrate thy feasts with joy; I will proclaim thy
greatness and thy goodness without ceasing. I will neglect no means of
obtaining for thee the honor and the homage which are due unto thee. I
will bring all the thoughts and affections of my heart into conformity
with thine, and I will make it my duty to imitate thy virtues, especially
thy purity and thy humility. Vouchsafe, O Mary, to open thy heart and
receive me therein. Amen.
Second Day.
Mary’s sole enjoyment in this world was the presence of her divine Son.
One never reads of her enjoying what the world calls recreation. The life
of Mary was full of deep love and holy virtue, and when trials came she
patiently and sweetly endured them for the love of God. It was meet, she
knew, that she should suffer, for her intimate connection with the Son of
God made suffering necessary. The first sword of sorrow which pierced her
heart were the words of Simeon in the Temple. When the days of her
purification were passed, Mary, according to the Law of Moses, came to the
Temple, bearing in her arms the Infant Jesus. The spirit of God manifested
in Jesus and Mary was a spirit of obedience to the Law of the time in
which they lived. In comparison to Mary, the angels’ purity became dim,
and still she subjected herself to the ceremony of purification. The law
presupposed impurity, but in Mary we know that there was not the least
stain of sin or imperfection. Humbly she carried the Lord to the Temple;
and humbly, too, Joseph walked by her side, bearing the two turtle doves
for a sacrifice and a ransom for the Child Jesus, which was also according
to the Law.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Third Day.
The aged arms of the feeble old priest embraced the Child, and all turned
to enter the building. Simeon bore the weight of the Creator of heaven and
earth, yet stood erect, strengthened and consoled. The advent of that
Child must have given the old man a manifestation of the greatness and the
glory of heaven, and unspeakable joy must have shone forth from his
countenance. Then old Simeon remembered the revelation which he had
received from the Holy Spirit: that he would not see death until he had
held in his arms the anointed of the Lord; and now he bears Him, a feeble
child. He finds it hard to return that precious burden to Mary, who stands
there with motherly solicitude, yearning to receive back again her beloved
Child. But the flood‐gates of thanks to almighty God have been opened, and
Simeon’s heart and lips break forth in a most sublime and prophetic song.
Zachary sang his _Benedictus_ at the circumcision of St. John; Mary sang
her _Magnificat_ at Elizabeth’s home, and now Simeon pours forth his soul
in a sublime prayer: “Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according
to Thy word in peace: because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou
hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the revelation of
the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Fourth Day.
But now he changes his words of joy into a sorrowful prophecy; the aged
priest proceeds, “Behold, this Child is set for the fall and for the
resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be
contradicted: and thy own soul a sword shall pierce that out of many
hearts thoughts may be revealed.” Mary was silent, but a cloud of fear for
the future passed over her, as Simeon foretold all that was to afflict
her. This was her first sorrow: to be told that her Child was to be set
for the fall and redemption of many. A sea of trouble flooded the soul of
Mary; it seemed as if Jesus Himself was causing that sorrow, and sent it
directly into her heart. But Mary was brave, as she was through all her
sorrows; there was no change in her. The Light of the world had burst out,
in the arms of Simeon, and then followed a dreadful darkness. Suddenly
Mary found herself far from the joys of Bethlehem in the darkness of
Golgotha, but she was just as resigned in her sorrow as she was content in
her joy. Mary understood now that the life of her divine Son was to be a
constant martyrdom, and that the end of it would be the death on the
cross.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Fifth Day.
This was the great sacrifice that Mary made of her beloved Son. She was
resigned to the will of God, though she knew the unavoidable future. She
had given to God a sacrifice in every way equal to God; never had such a
sacrifice been made from the beginning of the world. She had surpassed the
angels in constant prayer, she had made a more acceptable offering than
the ancient priests of God: because here was offered to God, Jesus Christ,
the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, and the equal of God the Father.
It was in sympathy with her divine Son and out of love for mankind that
Mary offered this holy sacrifice. He was her Son, and yet, from this
moment, she was not to possess Him as her own; she was only to guard the
Victim for the day of the great sacrifice. Mary knew that it was not for
her joy and consolation that Jesus was born; it was for a higher purpose
that He came into the world. She resigned all the joy His coming brought
to her, and offered Him a sacrifice to almighty God. Her heart is full of
wounds as she sees the persecutions of the Jews, the infidelity and
hardness of heart of many.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Sixth Day.
What lessons may we draw from the first sorrow of Mary—from the prophecy
of Simeon, which changed her whole future life? The sorrows of Mary lasted
all her lifetime; she suffered without looking for consolation; she
suffered in the depth of her heart, supported only by God’s goodness.
Mary’s griefs were intimately united to the sufferings of Jesus; her
sorrows were caused by His sufferings, and with these Mary was in perfect
sympathy. It is in this way that we should live, and suffer our trials and
troubles in perfect union with those of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and
Saviour. We can make of them a perfect sacrifice to God, simply because
they are connected with a little pain. We must consider ourselves happy if
God chastises us in this world, because He intends to make us better; we
suffer because we have sinned; sin claims a punishment and we should be
satisfied to be punished for our sins, and to give some atonement for
them; they can hardly be called sacrifices when they are well‐merited
punishments. Still it is possible, even while we justly suffer for our
sins, to make our sufferings more meritorious by uniting them to those of
Our Lord. With joy we can look up to the Mother of sorrows, and suffer,
like her, with patience and resignation.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Seventh Day.
The second sword of sorrow that pierced the heart of Mary was the flight
into Egypt. Simeon was the author and instrument in the hand of God of the
first sorrow; Joseph was the great figure in her second sorrow. It seems
to heighten whatever sufferings we may have to undergo when they are
caused by those whom we love. This was the case now, and this sword of
sorrow was so much the more cruel as the visitation did not seem to come
from God, but from the cruelty of men. In this sorrow the hand of man was
raised against the Lord, to put Him out of the way. It was like the
crucifixion on Mount Calvary, for His death was intended, and on Calvary
really executed. Mary and Joseph had to make arrangements for the hasty
journey to an unknown country, in order to guard the Infant Jesus from the
persecutions of Herod. Mary had to go to a country where there was no
worship of the true God; there were temples only of impure idolatry.
Alone, destitute, and wandering about, there was no human consolation in
this exile; she was deprived of the practice of her religion, her spirit
yearned after the courts of the house of God, with the multitude of
worshippers gathered there on feast days; she loved the ceremonies of the
old synagogue. In this secret sorrow she passed the days of her exile,
until God relieved her by permitting her to return.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Eighth Day.
The most sorrowful feeling produced in the heart of Mary by her exile in
Egypt, was caused by the thought of the hatred man had conceived against
the Lord. This adorable Child carefully concealed every manifestation of
His divine power. There was never on this earth a more lovable object than
this Child, and yet man had turned against Him from the very first moment
of His birth. It caused her heart great suffering to see that mankind did
not appreciate the presence of the Incarnate Word; that it neglected the
consideration of God’s goodness towards it. But how much more does she
suffer when she beholds Him an object of persecution! He is a fugitive
from the society of those very people whom He comes to save. All this Mary
must have felt; for she loved her divine Son with a great natural love,
and watched over Him with motherly solicitude. She loved Him also with a
divine love, for she knew He was the Son of God, the Redeemer of mankind.
This second sword of sorrow was not the transient realization of a
mystery, which took place and then was over. No, it was a lasting sorrow,
spreading itself over her whole life, for that persecution lasted until He
died on the cross amid the shouts of an unfeeling people.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Ninth Day.
The flight into Egypt has ever been a fruitful source of meditation for
devout souls; it is a beautiful but at the same time a sorrowful event in
the life of Christ. We, the descendants of the heathens, date God’s
visitation to us from this time, because Our Lord fled from His own people
and visited those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. With His
presence He sanctified the heathen country, and with it all the dark
continents of the world where God’s name was not known. Amid these
benighted people He, at least for a time, found a refuge and found peace.
The three Wise Men had departed for their own country without notifying
Herod of the success of their search for the King of Jerusalem. This
stirred up his cruel spirit, and with a murderous will he tried to destroy
the Child. The streets of Bethlehem were stained with the blood of the
little ones, but the Child Jesus, as we know, was not harmed. What a
sorrow was caused by the coming of Christ! Mary knew of it, for the sound
of the wailings of desolate mothers had been carried to her ears, and her
heart must have been touched by their cries. But to these children what a
happy day it was, on which they gave their lives for the Infant Jesus! It
was their baptism of blood; the world was in sorrow, but there was joy in
heaven.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Tenth Day.
At the command of the angel, Mary and Joseph took the Child, and promptly
entered upon their journey to Egypt. Without anxiety for the future, they
were in no trepidation at leaving Bethlehem. Mary wrapped the Child in
clothing to protect Him from the cold and pressed Him to her bosom; they
then went forth into the starlit night. Poverty has not many preparations
to make. The secret path which they took in this flight was one indicated
by Providence. They at length arrived on the way that led to the desert,
passed the boundaries of the land of Palestine, and wandered then, quietly
on, until they appeared but moving specks on the wide expanse of the
sands. Joseph and Mary cared tenderly for the Infant Jesus on their
journey. He was the object of their continual love. Only scanty provisions
had they taken with them, and water was scarce in such a region. At last
they came to the shores of the Red Sea, and saw the waters that rolled
between their own country and their destination. The Holy Family remained
several years in Egypt, until the cruel tyrant, Herod, had died.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Eleventh Day.
The angel of the Lord again came to Joseph, and bade him take the Child
and its Mother and return to the land of Israel, for those who had sought
after His life were dead. Nobody took much notice of their departure; the
Holy Family were too insignificant from a human point of view to trouble
any one. They made the journey back again through the desert with the same
difficulties besetting the way, until at length their eyes fell on the
hills of their own country: that land which God had chosen for His people.
They would gladly have entered Jerusalem on their way to Nazareth, but
Archelaus, the son of Herod, was reigning there, and Joseph considered it
prudent to avoid that city. No doubt he had recourse to prayer for
enlightenment what to do, and had received a response from heaven that he
should continue without delay his journey to Galilee; then their
journeyings were to be at an end, and they could live peaceably and
without fear in Nazareth, a home chosen by God for the sojourn of His
divine Son for nearly thirty years.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twelfth Day.
In this sorrow of the Blessed Virgin, her flight into Egypt, we should
call to our mind first of all, the poverty and destitution of the Holy
Family in their exile. We would not be her devout and loving children, nor
would we be followers of the Lord, unless we showed a sympathy for the
sufferings endured during this event of Our Lord’s life; unless we
impressed them on our minds by pious meditation. This poverty which the
Blessed Virgin endured was a part of her sorrows, and we, her children,
will not forget what she must have felt for Our Lord in these reduced
circumstances. Think of the hot winds of the desert, and the thirst they
could not quench when, weary and footsore, they travelled on through that
sandy waste. Another great concern of Mary’s was, that the sins of mankind
had deprived God of His glory in the incarnation of His divine Son. Good
souls feel this very much, that God is not known and honored as He ought
to be; still there is no comparison between the feelings of the saints and
that of the Blessed Virgin. She lived a divine life, and was intimately
concerned in the providence of God, and so felt the ingratitude of man all
the more.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Thirteenth Day.
What lesson may we draw from this second sorrow of Mary in Egypt? An
important one is this, that sufferings and trials, if they come from God,
are far better for us than great consolations. To be well convinced of
this truth we must be thoroughly imbued with a spirit of faith. Even pious
people rebel when they think they suffer without having deserved it. How
many, instead of profiting by tribulations, become almost blasphemous in
their murmuring against God! We may be sure that the little troubles sent
us by God, rightly endured, are better for our spiritual welfare than
hours of prayer in which the feeling of consolation has a prominent part;
who knows whether this luxury which our souls enjoy is not the object that
we look for, without regard to our real good or the glory of God?
We also learn from the flight into Egypt that we must not question the
designs of Providence in our sufferings. Would we find it amiss if God had
worked miracles so that the Holy Family might at least have comfort? But
no, He seemed to afflict them without mercy.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Fourteenth Day.
The third sorrow that our blessed Mother endured was the loss of the Child
Jesus for three days. According to the Law, the Jews living in the
neighborhood of the holy city had to make a pilgrimage three times a year,
in order to celebrate the great feasts. They had to go on the feast of the
Pasch, which was instituted to commemorate the deliverance from the
bondage of Egypt; the second feast was that of the weeks, corresponding to
our Pentecost, and the third feast was the feast of the tabernacles, where
the devout of the nation thanked God for all the mercies shown them during
the year. It was at one of these feasts of the Passover, or Pasch, that
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph journeyed to Jerusalem. The Pasch must have been a
feast of peculiar significance to the members of the Holy Family, for they
knew what it really meant to them. There was to come a Pasch at which the
principal actor of the feast would be Jesus, Our Lord. He certainly had
that last Passover before His mind, and no doubt St. Joseph was also
informed of the future. Mary, certainly, could not be ignorant of that
great event in the future life of her divine Son.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Fifteenth Day.
As they journeyed on to Jerusalem, that future Passover of the sorrowful
Passion must have been pictured vividly in their minds. They saw the boy
of twelve years at their side, and they loved the Saviour of mankind with
a sincere, adoring love; more and more did they love their good Jesus, Who
was already making a sacrifice of Himself to His heavenly Father. They
remained during the days of the feast in the neighborhood of the Temple,
fulfilling the duties of their religion; and when the time came for their
departure, Mary and Joseph travelled separately, Joseph with the men and
Mary with the women. Mary thought that Jesus was with Joseph, and Joseph
thought that He was with Mary. They journeyed a whole day without being
aware of His absence; but when evening came and they, on inquiry, found
that the Child was not with them, they were overwhelmed with grief. They
returned to Jerusalem, and for three days sought Him through the city; at
length, on the third day, they went to the Temple, and there they found
the divine Child, sitting among the doctors, as the Scriptures say,
teaching them, and asking them questions.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Sixteenth Day.
During the days of His sojourn in Jerusalem, what was the occupation of
the Lord? He prayed long and fervently in that Temple, in that Holy of
holies, in that house which His Father had chosen as His dwelling‐place on
earth. Our Lord’s whole occupation was prayer. He prayed for the people of
God, that they might acknowledge Him as the Redeemer of mankind. The
doctors of the Law were there, picturing to themselves and to their
audience the greatness of the coming Messias, from the very Scriptures
which described His humiliations and modesty. Did Our Lord set them right
by making them explain the discrepancies which they could not help
noticing in the prophecies? The modesty of the Lord won all hearts, and so
His time passed in the service of God. Mary and Joseph ran with joy to
their beloved Son, and the Mother, embracing Him, remonstrated with Him,
saying, “Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold, Thy father and I have
sought Thee, sorrowing.” Then He answered, “Did you not know that I must
be about My Father’s business?” He then went home to Nazareth with them,
there to continue to do the will of His Father.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Seventeenth Day.
The sorrow of this event consisted mainly in the fact that Mary and Joseph
had lost, perhaps through their own fault, the Child Jesus. They did not
know whether it would be according to divine Providence that He would ever
return to them; they thought that perhaps He had gone to the desert, as
had St. John. This separation caused Mary terrible agony. It shows us how
hard it is to lose Jesus, Our Lord, because He is absolutely necessary to
us. By sin we lose Jesus; by love we regain Him, and the danger that we
may again lose Him is enough to make us feel very sad. Mary’s great
suffering in this separation makes us understand the magnitude of the evil
of losing Jesus. But how little do we feel that separation, especially
when it is caused by our sins! It is always our own fault when Jesus goes
away from us. He would not leave us, only that we force Him from us, and
the means we use to conquer God, to make Him capitulate, is sin. To bring
Him back again we must be active in our search, regret the evil we have
done, and weep tears of real sorrow. Thus we invite our friend Jesus back
again into our soul.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Eighteenth Day.
Let us now consider the fourth sword of sorrow which pierced the heart of
Mary. No wonder we venerate in Mary a goodness of heart so great. We have
seen how this noble heart has been moved by the contemplation of the
future sorrows of her Son; how she was so intimately united with Him, that
she suffered for our sake as He did. And we know that Our Lord suffered
and died for no other cause than our redemption. In the fourth sorrow we
come closer to the Passion. We are transferred to the time when Jesus,
after the Last Supper, was apprehended by the cohort, judged by Pilate,
and delivered over to the Jews for crucifixion. The cross was laid on His
bleeding shoulders, and, crushed under its weight, He painfully makes His
way towards Calvary in company, or rather in a procession of curiosity‐
seekers, of friends and of foes; the object of derision to some, of pity
to others. On His journey He meets His holy Mother. The cruel soldiers
allow the meeting, and a temporary rest. A painful scene takes place
between the Mother, and the Son Who is being led to execution.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Nineteenth Day.
Mary enjoyed the wonderful grace of being intimately united with Our Lord
in His sufferings. She was present in spirit when Jesus was in the agony
in the Garden of Gethsemani. She knew of the betrayal of Judas; she felt
the ingratitude of that apostle, and the pain it gave the good Master.
Mary sympathized with Jesus when He was scourged and cruelly treated the
night of His Passion. She could count the strokes of the scourges; she saw
the soldiers crown Him with thorns and strike Him in the face. She knew
that Our Lord was placed before the people that they might look on His
miserable condition, and feel compassion for Him; and she heard the voice
of Pilate, “Behold the man!” She heard the mob demand His death, not
satisfied by the tortures inflicted upon Him. Into the depths of her soul
went the cry, “Crucify Him, crucify Him! His blood be upon us, and upon
our children.” St. John, the beloved disciple, came at last to the Blessed
Virgin, and brought the news of the condemnation of the Lord and of His
immediate crucifixion; they went out to meet Him in His painful journey to
Calvary.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twentieth Day.
We have seen how sufferings of the Lord were communicated to Mary. Mary’s
tears are mingled with His. Have we no share in them? Are we not to think
of them, and feel them? We have been the cause of Mary’s sufferings,
because being sinners we brought about the death of Jesus Christ. Should
we not then, when we have recognized this fact, make the contemplation a
source of shame, repentance, and sorrow? We have been the cause of this
grief to Mary, and certainly we should, at least, have a devotion to her
sorrowful heart. How can we do this better than by performing all our
daily actions for the greater glory of God? Every day is a step nearer
eternity, and every day we should meet Jesus, and work with Him. When we
are in doubt and perplexity Jesus approaches us of His own accord, as He
did the disciples on their way to Emmaus. What crosses shall we meet on
our way each day? We know not. But this we know, that when we meet Jesus,
we will meet our cross, for He is bearing His. How many meet the Lord, but
turn away from Him when they see Him in such a pitiable condition? They
would rather be with Him in His joy than in His sorrow.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty‐first Day.
The world is a mystery. Life, death, time, good, evil and miseries, are
mysteries to us. The crucifix is the solution of them all. It is a
consoling contemplation when we are in trouble. When we have sinned it
brings tears of repentance to our eyes, and gives us the hope of
salvation; it is a source of love; it is a light in darkness; it is a
solemn exhortation without words. O blessed cross, cause of the fifth
sorrow to Mary! help us to have a joy in the cross in this life, that we
may be led by it to a happy eternity. The way of the cross is now ended;
the summit of Mount Calvary is reached about midday. The city of David is
close by and the crown of glory of this city is now to be taken away. But
the life of Christ is to crown it by its end, making it a still holier
city than it ever has been. The soldiers tear the garments off the body of
Jesus, and prepare for the execution by nailing Him to the cross. Mary
hears the strokes of the hammer as the nails are driven through His hands
and feet into the wood. Every stroke is a dreadful wound inflicted on her
sorrowing heart; who should feel it more than this Mother witnessing the
execution of her Son?
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty‐second Day.
The first hour of the three during which the Lord hung on the cross was
passed in silent endurance; in prayer, in offering the sacrifice of His
life for all mankind. Then darkness begins to gather. Mary approaches the
cross, and stands near the suffering Saviour. The executioners mock Him,
they cast lots for His garments; their cruel words and their coarse jokes
fall on Mary’s ears and fill her soul with pain. Mary was to see and feel
everything, as well as the Lord. The whole hour passed, and Jesus was
silent; the second hour began its martyrdom and we hear the voice of
Christ, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” a prayer
which soothed the heart of Mary, for it was the voice of mercy. The third
hour Jesus began to grow weaker; the loss of blood produced a great
thirst, and He cried out, “I thirst.” And Mary knew that Jesus thirsted
for souls; and that she could help this thirst by her prayers. Thus during
those three hours Mary stood beneath the cross; it was the fifth sword of
sorrow that pierced her soul.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty‐third Day.
At this time Mary became our Mother, for Jesus recommended us to her in
the person of St. John; it was His last will and testament; it was the end
of thirty years’ communication between Mother and Son. Mary, like Jesus,
had at heart the salvation of mankind, and now she feels authorized to
have an interest in all humanity. She takes all under her protection; new
sources of inexhaustible love were opened in her heart. Our Lord gave her
the grace to love humankind as He loved them. Another circumstance to be
considered in the sword of sorrow which Mary endured beneath the cross was
her silence. She did not faint, nor cry out in despair. She was perfectly
resigned to the will of God. What God demanded of her she performed
without a murmur, and so she stood at her sorrowful post, determined to do
His holy will as she had done it all her life; the more God asked of her,
the more she was willing to give.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty‐fourth Day.
There is a great lesson in this sorrow of Mary: that we must learn how to
bear our crosses in this life. We must not throw them away; we must not
come down from Calvary until we are crucified, and then we and the cross
are inseparable. Calvary is a place where much impatience is manifested;
many go up well enough, and carry their cross with perseverance, but when
it comes to lie down on that cross, and be nailed to it, they go away
again, forgetting their duty, though it was duty that brought them that
far; they are only half‐crucified souls. We do not rob them of the merit
of what they have done, but they might have done more. They have lost
their courage because they did not observe the silence that Jesus
preserved in His crucifixion; they were too much distracted; silence is
the atmosphere of the cross. We shall contemplate two individuals on
Calvary: Jesus and Mary. They teach us how to die. Jesus would certainly
have spared His Mother the scenes of His sufferings unless it were good
for her to witness them. She is to be with Jesus in His hour of death; she
is also to be with us in our last hour. Then we too will thirst, and our
soul will yearn for strength, which we will draw from the last sacraments
and from Mary’s presence.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty‐fifth Day.
We can never understand the crucifixion unless we study it under Mary’s
guidance, because she is part of it and it cannot be represented without
her. Oh, let us have a filial pity for her in her sorrows; let us feel a
sympathy for her, especially as she stands beneath the cross. Let us pray
to this sorrowful Mother, and imitate her in the very important lesson
there taught: that is, to pray for the poor departing souls. Every moment,
throughout the world, several souls pass from this life; it is their last
opportunity to make their peace with God. Let us have the devotion, which
is so charitable, to pray for the departing souls and recommend them to
the mercy of God. If our prayers may be effective for a special grace in
their regard, why should we not pray with fervor and for the love of God?
Send Mary to them; she is continually saving souls. We also should be
zealous to save them by frequently praying to God for this intention.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty‐sixth Day.
The sixth sorrow in the life of the Blessed Virgin was the taking down of
Our Lord from the cross. We read in the Scriptures, “They shall look upon
Him Whom they have pierced.” Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus boldly, as
is said, went to Pilate, and demanded the body of Christ, that they might
give Him a decent burial. They drew the nails from the wounds of the hands
and feet of Our Lord, and respectfully took Him down from the cross and
placed Him in the arms of Mary. With great respect did these men and their
servants approach the cross and handle the body. Who can describe their
feelings during the pious work in which they were engaged? It was like the
respect and adoration we show to the Blessed Sacrament. Each instrument of
the Passion, still moist with the blood of Jesus, was laid near the
sorrowful Mother, who kissed them and preserved them. Who had a better
right to them? They were the first and holiest relics which the Church
venerated. Now the body has been lowered far enough, that St. John may let
His head rest on his shoulder. Mary knelt, and stretching out her arms she
received the precious weight of His body on her breast. At last she held
Him again, Whom as an Infant she had fondled in her arms! O Mary, now thou
lookest upon the beautiful but disfigured face of thy Jesus!
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty‐seventh Day.
We must admire in Mary her wonderful steadfastness in her terrible
sorrows. She might have allowed herself to be so overwhelmed with grief
and despair that she would break out into shrieks and lamentations to
relieve her heart; but she was a silent, kind, sweet sufferer. The saints
have always loved the Passion of Our Lord, and have become familiar with
it. Mary was familiar with it; she had suffered just this very torture,
long before receiving the body of her beloved Son in her arms after the
crucifixion. She knew it was the will of God, and that was the only thing
she regarded. She was resigned to its operations. We too must think of the
Passion of Our Lord, and meditate upon it until we grow as familiar with
it, and love it, as did the saints. Why should we do so? Because we have
sinned, and by sin have caused all these sufferings to Our Lord and to His
blessed Mother, Mary. She was innocent of the sufferings of her Son; she
had never committed a fault. We, who are guilty of sin, ought to do
penance, ought to suffer, and be resigned to both.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty‐eighth Day.
The burial of Our Lord was the source of the seventh sorrow of Mary. When
the tomb had been prepared, the sheets spread out, and the ointments
placed, Joseph, Nicodemus, John, Magdalen, and Mary, the Mother, in the
depth of the night wended their way slowly from the height of Calvary, to
the burial place of Joseph, which was just outside the walls of the city.
Everything at the burial proceeded with great care and caution and in
silence, the scene lit up by the dim light of a solitary torch. There lay
the body, pale in death; the eyes closed, the lips set. All bent down in
adoration before that adorable body. Joseph, then, with the help of the
others, rolled the stone to the mouth of the tomb, and silently went to
the city. Mary and John again visited the place of crucifixion, and
gathered up the nails and crown of thorns; they also, that Friday night,
went into the city of Jerusalem. The guard of soldiers sent by Pilate were
already at the tomb, and sealed the stone so that the least interference
might be detected.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Twenty‐ninth Day.
What was particularly sorrowful, in this seventh affliction, was the great
sense of desertion that Mary felt, as if left by God; her good and
adorable Son gone from her sight and buried. The days of the Passion, the
death and the burial, must have so exhausted the life of the good Virgin
that now she was near giving up the spirit. Every suffering that she had
to endure seemed to culminate in this supreme moment. It is the last sword
of Simeon’s prophecy. No one can describe the sufferings of Mary, and no
one can describe the sanctity with which she bore up in all these trials.
But, O Simeon, thou didst assert that having seen the Lord, thou wert now
ready to leave this world. But this last sorrow did not announce the end
to Mary; she was to suffer on for years. There seems to be nothing human
or frail in Mary’s sufferings. Her character grows upon us, in nobility
most exalted, and in patience never wavering. Man shows his feebleness at
some time, but Mary seemed to grow stronger, purer, and more beautiful.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Thirtieth Day.
What lessons are we to learn from this seventh sorrow of Mary, the
culmination of all her troubles and trials? One is that we should love God
and be faithful to Him, with a more unselfish attachment. Mary left the
tomb in which Our Lord was hidden from her sight without a murmur,
resigned to the will of God. She might have persuaded herself that she
should remain there, but God desired it otherwise, and she departed from
the place which held her all. It is hard, but true, that God’s will must
be done in everything. Another lesson from the contemplation of the sorrow
caused by the separation from Our Lord was the bitterness of the
separation. Oh, how bitter it is to be away from Jesus! Is there anything
to make up for that loss? Terrible is the darkness of the hour when Christ
is absent. It is a hell upon earth. And thus we have made a history of the
life of Mary, and have followed her through her wearisome pain, until now
we leave her ripe for heaven. The time has come in which God will call her
to an eternity of honor and glory.
Prayer.
O Heart of Mary, I offer, etc., etc.
Exercise in Honor of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary.
_V._ Incline unto my aid, O God.
_R._ O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, etc.
1. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate the grief of thy tender heart at
the prophecy of the holy old man Simeon. O beloved Mother, through that
afflicted heart obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the
holy fear of God.
Hail Mary.
2. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate those afflictions which thy most
sensitive heart endured during the flight into Egypt and the dwelling
there. O beloved Mother, by thy deeply troubled heart obtain for me the
virtue of liberality, especially towards the poor, and the true gift of
piety.
Hail Mary.
3. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate that intense distress which thy
anxious heart experienced in the loss of thy dearest Jesus. O beloved
Mother, by that deeply troubled heart obtain for me the virtue of chastity
and the gift of knowledge.
Hail Mary.
4. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate the consternation which thy
maternal heart experienced when thou didst meet Jesus bearing His cross. O
beloved Mother, by that deeply troubled heart obtain for me the virtue of
patience and the gift of fortitude.
Hail Mary.
5. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate that martyrdom which thy
generous heart endured in witnessing the last agony of Jesus. O beloved
Mother, by that martyred heart obtain for me the virtue of temperance and
the gift of counsel.
Hail Mary.
6. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate that wound which thy mournful
heart endured from the lance which tore the side of Jesus and wounded His
most loving Heart. O beloved Mother, by thy pierced heart obtain for me
the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding.
Hail Mary.
7. O most sorrowful Mary, I compassionate the convulsion which thy most
loving heart experienced at the burial of Jesus. O beloved Mother, by this
extreme grief of thy sacred heart obtain for me the virtue of diligence
and the gift of wisdom.
Hail Mary.
_V._ Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
_R._ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
_Let Us Pray._
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Thy Mother, may intercede for us with Thy clemency, now and at the hour of
our death, who at the hour of Thy Passion was pierced in her most holy
soul by the sword of sorrow; grant this, O Jesus Christ, Saviour of the
world, Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, world
without end. Amen.
A perpetual indulgence of three hundred days, applicable to the
dead, to all Christians every time they shall recite the above
exercise in honor of the sorrowful heart of the most holy Virgin.
Rosary or Chaplet of the Seven Dolors.
Act Of Contrition.
O my Lord, Thou Who alone art most worthy of my love, behold me standing
before Thy divine presence utterly overwhelmed by the many grievous
injuries I have done Thee. I ask Thy pardon for them with my whole heart,
repenting of them purely for love of Thee, and, at the thought of Thy
great goodness, hating and loathing them above all other evils of this
life. As I would rather have died a thousand times than have offended
Thee, so now I am most firmly resolved to lose my life rather than offend
Thee again. My crucified Jesus, I firmly purpose to cleanse my soul as
soon as possible by Thy most precious blood in the Sacrament of Penance.
And thou, most tender Virgin, Mother of mercy and Refuge of sinners, do
thou obtain for me the pardon of sin by virtue of thy bitter pains; whilst
praying according to the mind of so many holy Pontiffs in order to obtain
the indulgences granted to this, thy holy Rosary, I hope thereby to obtain
remission of all pains due to my sins. Amen.
First Dolor: The prophecy of Simeon. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Second Dolor: The flight into Egypt. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Third Dolor: The loss of Jesus. One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Fourth Dolor: Her meeting Jesus carrying His cross. One Our Father and
seven Hail Marys.
Fifth Dolor: Her standing beneath the cross on Calvary. One Our Father and
seven Hail Marys.
Sixth Dolor: Her receiving on her lap the sacred body of Jesus. One Our
Father and seven Hail Marys.
Seventh Dolor: Her witnessing the burial of the sacred body of Her Son.
One Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
In honor of the tears shed by Our Lady in these dolors, three Hail Marys.
_V._ Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
_R._ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
_Let Us Pray._
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the Blessed Virgin, Thy
Mother, may intercede for us with Thy clemency, now and at the hour of our
death, who in the hour of Thy Passion was pierced in her most holy soul by
the sword of sorrow; grant this, O Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, who
with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, world without
end. Amen.