15 September is the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.
ŠubHō la.bō wal.brō wal.rou.Hō d.qoud.šō; men hō.šō wa3.da.mō l.3o.lam 3ōl.meen AmeenGlory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit from now, and unto the age of ages. Amen. Why do we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows? The only reason can be because it assists us on the path of salvation, that is, that by meditating upon this feast and observing it with reverence we become better Christians and more worthy of Grace and redemption through our Lord Jesus Christ. As ever, Mary leads us to God.Is it not strange however to have a feast dedicated to her anguish? When we search for reasons we might think first that by reverencing her in her sorrow and compassionating with her we are doing something pleasing to God. And I think there must be a great deal in that. Further, to reflect that the most perfect purely human being who ever lived, suffered as she did must be some consolation to us when we are in undeserved troubles, for the simple reason that in view of her great innocence and purity we have no right to complain.Even philosophically, celebrating this feast with the entire Church reminds us that all of us are human and are born to suffer, to feel pain, and to die. The acceptance of this can build up tremendous strength of soul. But there is yet more because Mary is a model for us, someone in whose patient footsteps we should follow and whose example we should imitate.St John Henry Newman believed that at the end of her life, Mary probably did not die from sickness or the feebleness of old age. Neither was she worn out by her sorrows. Rather, moved by love and her desire to be reunited with her Son in heaven and with His angels and Saints, she allowed her soul to leave her body. That is, she lived a full and productive life on earth, no one more so, and when she sensed that she was ready, her love for her Son led her to ask God to take her spirit from her. She surrendered her soul to God with her final breath which was also her final act of love on this earth in her mortal body. It was right that she should die, St Newman tells us, because her Son had died. Yet, honouring her or all she had sacrificed, and respecting her pure Motherhood, He did not allow her to suffer further, but rather freed her to return to Him in unlimited joy and most profound peace.May we be granted something at least in the direction of this. It is often truly said that the best preparation for a good death is a good life. But it is surely a help to have as a model to follow the death of our lady, a willing sacrifice of the earthly life through and with the impulse of love for the divine union with God.May her prayers always be with us.In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen. (Fr Yuhanna Azize)