Dolores

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/091518.cfm) reminds me that I should always be concerned about others. 

Parents love their children so much. In fact, not a few parents would say that they would want to protect their children from harm and danger. They are willing to give up their comfort for their children. They are willing to experience pain and sorrow if it would prevent their children from experiencing those things. They value their children more than they do themselves. This is how parents love... This is how our Spiritual Mother, Mama Mary, loves us. 

As we remember Mama Mary as our Lady of Sorrows, I am reminded that we should always be concerned about the situation and sufferings of others. The gospel shows us that Mama Mary was told that a sword will pierce her heart. This must be very painful. A very good friend shared some research on our Lady of Sorrows, and it struck me. Gives us a glimpse how much pain Mama Mary endured in her heart. 

“ While other martyrs suffered by sacrificing their own lives, the Blessed Virgin suffered by sacrificing Her Son's life -- a life that she loved far more than her own; so that she not only suffered in her soul all that her Son endured in His body, but moreover the sight of her Son's torments brought more grief to her heart than if she had endured them all in her own person." -St. Antoninus ...And it is because of this that Jesus Himself delights that we reflect on the sorrows of His Mother, than if we merely reflect on His own sorrows. ” 

Wow. Ang lalim. 

Makes sense. As Jesus’ earthly mother, Mama Mary has been with him since the beginning of his earthly life. She bore him and brought him to this world. She was there when Jesus was a baby, learning things in life, until Jesus went to his public life to do God’s mission, and his passion and death on the cross. It must have been very hard and painful for her to see Jesus being persecuted, spat upon, beaten and eventually crucified to death. 

We should have this love and concern for others.

Nowadays, it is easy to be apathetic. We are not as concerned for others. We have a lot of reasons for being such – that others are in a better place to help, that others have more resources, that the poor are part of a syndicate, that we have a lot of problems ourselves, that what we see is not the real situation. We have a lot of reasons not to care and show concern for others. But God wants us to. God needs us to. We are God’s active hands on this earth. He uses us to spread his love, to make others feel and experience his love in this earth. 

Am I concerned with the well being of others? Do I do my part to help others? What do my actions tell other people about God? How can I make God’s love more alive and more real in this world?

May we be inspired by our Lady of Sorrows, not just to be one with others in their sorrows and sufferings, but also to allow God to use us to reach out and help others in what they are going through.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another weekend. Thank you for our mother, Mama Mary. Thank you for reminding us of her love and concern, not only to Jesus but to all of us as well. Sorry for the times I focus just on my own concerns and ignore others. Sorry for making excuses why I do not help others. Sorry for not caring about others. Help me be like Mama Mary. Help me be really concerned about the situation and well-being of others. I know she was not in a perfect situation, but she did her best to love perfectly. No matter what situation I am in right now, help me to love and help like her. Use me Lord to make your love more alive and more real to others in this world. amen.

Blessed Weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

September 15, 2018

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
Lectionary: 442/639

Reading 1 1 COR 10:14-22

My beloved ones, avoid idolatry.
I am speaking as to sensible people;
judge for yourselves what I am saying.
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the Body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, though many, are one Body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.

Look at Israel according to the flesh;
are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
So what am I saying?
That meat sacrificed to idols is anything?
Or that an idol is anything?
No, I mean that what they sacrifice,
they sacrifice to demons, not to God,
and I do not want you to become participants with demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons.
You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.
Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger?
Are we stronger than him?

Responsorial Psalm PS 116:12-13, 17-18

R. (17) To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

Sequence (Optional) Stabat Mater

At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
All his bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had passed.

Oh, how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother highly blessed
Of the sole begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs,
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying, glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,
'Whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that mother's pain untold?

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender Child,
All with bloody scourges rent.

For the sins of his own nation
Saw him hang in desolation
Till his spirit forth he sent.

O sweet Mother! font of love,
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with yours accord.

Make me feel as you have felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ, my Lord.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.

Let me share with you his pain,
Who for all our sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with you,
Mourning him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.

By the cross with you to stay,
There with you to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of you to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine.

Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of yours.

Wounded with his every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In his very Blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In his awful judgment day.

Christ, when you shall call me hence,
Be your Mother my defense,
Be your cross my victory.

While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally.
Amen. (Alleluia)

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary;
without dying you won the Martyr's crown
beneath the Cross of the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel JN 19:25-27

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and 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."