"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His Mother, and His Mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene" (John 19, 25).
Prelude:
Behold the Mother of Dolors standing beneath the cross, contemplating her beloved Son mid inexpressible anguish.
What Did Mary Suffer?
The prophet Jeremias had foretold that the martyrdom of Mary beneath the cross should be without its counterpart, when he said: "To what shall I compare thee, or to what shall I liken thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what shall I equal thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Sion? For great as the sea is thy destruction. Who shall heal thee?" (Lam. 2, 13) Though the martyrs endured great bodily torments, the unction of grace mitigated their sufferings. Mary's soul was afflicted, however, and her heart pierced by the sword of sorrow but no ray of consolation lightened her grief. Denied the comfort of offering Him the slightest alleviation, she beheld her only beloved Son die amid inexpressible torments. She heard Him complaining of thirst, and dared not offer Him the least refreshment. Her maternal heart, which, like none other on earth, beat in love for her Son, must have felt deeply the pain of sympathy whose demands she durst not heed. As her love was immeasurable, so was her compassion.
Let us seek to penetrate the immensity of our Blessed Mother's anguish and pray with Holy church: "Holy Mother, pierce me through; in my heart each wound renew of my Savior, crucified." Let us confess in all humility that our sins, the cause of the passion of Christ, were the cause of her martyrdom. Let us entreat Mary with all the ardor of our soul, by the merits of her sighs and tears, to obtain for us true contrition for sin. How gladly will this compassionate Mother apply to us the merits and fruits of the death of Jesus! How gladly will Mary assist us in the struggle against sin, and fortify us in the sorrows and tribulations of this mortal life, since for love of us she sacrificed her beloved Son!
Affections:
O Mary, queen of Martyrs and Mother of Mercy, I thank thee with my whole heart for the inexpressible anguish thou didst endure beside the cross of Thy Divine Son. For the salvation of my soul thou didst immolate thy beloved Son, who was infinitely dearer to thee than life itself. Let me never forget thy great, heroic love. And yet, I am ashamed of my timidity and cowardice at sight of the cross! Divine love, which permeated thy heart and wounded it so deeply, gave thee the strength to bear such immense sufferings. Obtain for me a spark of this strong, magnanimous love, that in my slight sufferings I may persevere courageously with thee at the foot of the cross and consider participation in thy sufferings a source of honor and happiness.
Resolution: In all my sufferings and reverses I will beg the Sorrowful Mother to imbue me with her holy sentiments.
Spiritual Bouquet: "Heart transpierced with pain and woe, set my heart with love aglow."
Jesus Mercy! Mary Help!
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