Sorrows of the Mother

(Post originally published November 13, 2013)

 

St. Bridget of Sweden was graced with numerous visitations from heaven, many times she saw the Blessed Virgin. Many revelations and devotions were given to her, one of the simplest and most beautiful is the devotion to the Seven Sorrows of our Blessed Mother. The Mother of God declared she would grant seven graces to the souls who honour her every day by saying seven Hail Mary’s and meditating on her tears and dolors.

The Seven Graces:

1) I will grant peace to their families.
2) They will be enlightened about the Divine Mysteries.
3) I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.
4) I will give them as much as they ask for, as long as it doe not oppose the Adorable Will of my Divine Son, or the sanctification of their souls.
5) I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy. I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6) I will visibly help them at the moment of their death, they will see the face of their Mother.
7) I have obtained this grace from my Divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and sorrows, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.

The Seven Sorrows:

1) The prophecy of Simeon.
2) The flight into Egypt.
3) The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple.
4) The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
5) The Crucifixion.
6) The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
7) The burial of Jesus.

(It would also be a pious practise to say an eighth Hail Mary in honour of her unknown sorrows.)

Why do Catholics honour Mary so much? The key word is “honour”, not “worship”~ worship is given to God alone. As the angel declared: “Hail full of grace”. She was granted all possible graces that could be granted to a human being in order to become the sinless Mother of God. She who was sinless was also willing to suffer so much for our salvation in union with her Divine Son.  As we read in the Gospel of Luke, once she had accepted to become the Mother of God, God had granted her the grace that from henceforth everyone throughout the ages would called her blessed.  "Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed." (Luke 1:48) We have the right and the privilege to invoke her as our Heavenly Mother, to honour her and ask for her help. We honour Mary as the Mother of Sorrows and our powerful intercessor before the Throne of God.

You may read more on the Glories of Mary and the graces given to her in:

   

The Glories of Mary, by St. Alphonsus de Liguori