Friday, 15 April 2011

Bring back the Feast of the Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

Today, the Friday after Passion Sunday, used to be the Feast of the Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to my granny's ancient missal. It was reduced to a commemoration, only said where there was particular devotion to this. I find that a reflection on the Sorrowful Mother is entirely appropriate at this point, just before Holy Week. I have a particular devotion to the Sorrowful Mother, one of the reasons being that the month dedicated to her is the same month as my birthday - but that is a spurious reason. No, I have a devotion to this aspect of the Blessed Virgin because it is an aspect where it is really clear that the Virgin, like Christ, knows sorrow and can aid us in this sorrow. She's not some floaty person aloof from the world, but rather right in there, feeling pain and sorrow like we do. Furthermore, I find I can penetrate more deeply into the mystery of the Passion of our Lord through meditating on it from the perspective of His mother. Are we not moved when we see on the news a mother crying for their child? The love of God is more clear when I consider the Cross from Mary's viewpoint.

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