“Now I am sending my messenger – he will prepare the way before me; And the Lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple; The messenger of the covenant whom you desire – see he is coming! Says the Lord of hosts” (Mal 3:1).
“When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] took [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord … “ (Lk 2:22)
Today, the Church recalls this sobering truth: the life of Mary of Nazareth, although filled with many joys, was underscored with sorrows beyond our imagining. Traditionally, the list of the Sorrows of Our Lady is comprised of seven.