On September 15, the day after we exalt the Holy Cross, we turn our eyes to the woman standing beneath it. Our Lady of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa).
It is a feast that makes many people uncomfortable. Why focus on grief? Why meditate on tears? Because unless we understand the Sorrow of Mary, we cannot understand the Love of Jesus. Her heart was the first to be pierced by the spear that opened His side. She felt every stripe of the whip and every thorn in His brow.
The devotion to the Seven Sorrows is one of the most powerful "spiritual medicines" in the Church. It heals broken hearts, brings peace to families, and is a terrifying weapon against the devil. At Our Lady of Kibeho (Rwanda, 1980s), Mary appeared and specifically asked the world to return to this devotion to prevent war and genocide.
Here is the definitive guide to walking with the Mother of Sorrows.
1. The History: The "Compassion" of Mary
The word "Compassion" literally means "to suffer with" (cum-passio). Mary is the Co-Redemptrix not because she is equal to Jesus, but because she suffered with Him more than any other creature. Devotion to her sorrows began as early as the 4th century but was popularized in the 1200s by the Servite Order (Seven Holy Founders). They realized that you cannot love a mother without loving her through her pain.
The Symbolism: The Sword
Images of Our Lady of Sorrows show her heart pierced by seven swords. This refers to the prophecy of Simeon in the Temple: "And a sword will pierce your own soul too" (Luke 2:35). She didn't just have one bad day. She had seven distinct "swords" that cut through her life.
2. The Seven Sorrows (The Dolors)
Traditionally, we meditate on these seven moments in her life. For each sorrow, we pray one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
I. The Prophecy of Simeon
When Mary brought Baby Jesus to the Temple, she expected a blessing. Instead, she got a death sentence. Simeon told her her Son would be a "sign of contradiction" and her heart would be pierced. The Pain: The shadow of the Cross fell over the cradle. For 33 years, every time she looked at Jesus, she knew He was born to die.
II. The Flight into Egypt
Herod sent soldiers to kill the babies. Mary and Joseph had to flee across the desert into a foreign land (Egypt). The Pain: The anxiety of a refugee mother. The fear for her child's life. The exhaustion of the desert.
III. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple
For three days, 12-year-old Jesus was missing. The Pain: This is the only sorrow where Jesus is "lost" to her. It represents the pain of a soul that has lost God through sin. Mary suffered this so she could help us find Him again.
IV. Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary
She stood by the road. She saw Him—covered in blood, spit, and dust, carrying the machine of His own execution. Their eyes met. The Pain: The helplessness of a mother who cannot take the burden from her child.
V. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus
She stood (Stabat Mater) at the foot of the Cross for three hours. She heard Him say, "I thirst." She heard Him say, "It is finished." The Pain: Seeing the source of her life die before her eyes.
VI. The Taking Down from the Cross
The Pieta. They placed His cold, limp body in her arms. The Pain: Holding the same body she once bounced on her knee at Bethlehem. The weight of dead God.
VII. The Burial of Jesus
She laid Him in the tomb. The stone was rolled shut. She had to walk away into the darkness of Holy Saturday. The Pain: The ultimate loneliness. The silence of the tomb.
3. The 7 Promises of St. Bridget
In the 14th century, Our Lady appeared to St. Bridget of Sweden and revealed that she would grant seven specific graces to those who honor her daily by meditating on her tears and sorrows:
- Family Peace: "I will grant peace to their families."
- Enlightenment: "They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries."
- Consolation: "I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work."
- Answered Prayers: "I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls."
- Protection: "I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives."
- Deathbed Presence: "I will visibly help them at the moment of their death; they will see the face of their Mother."
- Sins Forgiven: "I have obtained from my divine Son that those who propagate this devotion... 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." (This is a massive promise!)
4. The Seven Sorrows Rosary (Kibeho)
In 1981, Mary appeared in Kibeho, Rwanda. She warned of a "river of blood" if people did not repent (prophesying the 1994 genocide). She asked the children to revive the Seven Sorrows Rosary. She said:
"The world is ebbing away. If you don't repent and if you don't convert your hearts, you will fall into a pit."
She clarified that this Rosary is not meant to replace the traditional Dominican Rosary, but to supplement it. How to Pray It: It uses a special chaplet with 7 sets of 7 beads.
- Intro: Act of Contrition.
- Each set: Meditate on the Sorrow, pray 1 Our Father, 7 Hail Marys.
- Conclusion: "O Mother of Sorrows, by your tears, have mercy on us!"
5. Why Demons Flee from the Sorrows
Exorcists (like Fr. Chad Ripperger) note that the Seven Sorrows is remarkably effective in cases of ancestral sin and deep-seated trauma. Demons of despair and bitterness cannot stand the presence of a woman who suffered everything yet never sinned. When you meditate on her sorrows, you are bringing the "immaculate" light into your darkest wounds. She "mends" what the enemy has broken.
6. Practical Tips for Living the Devotion
- Fridays: Dedicate every Friday (the day of the Passion) to the Mother of Sorrows.
- The Image: Keep a "Pieta" or "Our Lady of Sorrows" image in your prayer corner.
- The Litany: Pray the Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows when you feel overwhelmed.
- The Stabat Mater: Listen to or pray this beautiful 13th-century hymn.
Conclusion: The Joy of the Cross
It seems like a paradox. How can meditating on sorrow bring peace? Because Mary’s sorrow was redemptive. By entering into her heart, we realize we are not alone in our pain. The Mother of God has been where you are. She has felt the loss of a child. She has felt the fear of a refugee. She has felt the pain of an unjust death.
And she is standing right next to you, holding your hand, leading you to the Resurrection.
The Prayer:
"V. Pray for us, O Mother of Sorrows. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ."
Wound your heart with hers. Pray the Seven Sorrows Rosary with the guided audio on the MyPrayerTower app.