Daily Gracelines - Lenten Journey with Mary - Day 1
Theme: Mary's sorrowing heart is the perfect "vehicle" to take us more deeply into the passion of Jesus, Our Lord.
Grace: I pray for the grace to enter deeply into the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by means of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Word to Know:
Dolor - an antiquated term used to denote physical pain, or mental suffering or anguish. In Catholic devotion, it is used primarily to refer to the seven sorrows of Mary's heart popularized by the Servite Order. It is interesting to meditate on the way in which Mary's suffering fulfilled both definitions of the term.
The First Dolor: The Prophesy of Simeon
Faithful to the religious observances of their faith, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple forty days after his birth to dedicate Him to God. This was an important custom of the Jewish religion. It was also customary for a wealthy family to bring a lamb and a young pigeon or turtle dove to be sacrificed. Poorer families, however, were permitted to offer two pigeons or two turtle doves for the offering. When the Holy Family arrived at the Temple, they were greeted by a just and pious man named Simeon. His words brought with them the first of Our Lady's sufferings.
For Reflection:
Read Luke 2: 22-35. What did Simeon prophesy about Jesus? How was it the occasion of great joy and great sorrow for Our Lady? In what way was she called to exemplify the three hallmarks of a handmaid of the Lord - receptivity, trust and surrender?
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