Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows has its roots back to apostolic times. St. John the Evangelist stood with Mary at the foot of the cross. He witnessed first hand her holy grief and affliction, but witnessed as well her steadfast devotion to her Son and her maternal entrance into his sufferings.

So profound was Mary’s witness that St. John records the event in his Gospel account. It was the fulfillment of Simeon’s prophesy of the Infant Jesus in the temple: “And a sword will pierce you own heart so that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed.” You can read about that moment in the second chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel.

Theologians tell us that Mary’s fiat to God, her yes, at the moment of her annunciation was also her yes to the all of the contradictions and sorrows that would accompany her motherhood. And it was the grace-filled strength of that yes that held her under that tree for three long hours as she watched her Son’s agonizing death.

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