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.

Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows and art work depicting her suffering heart came into its own in the Middle Ages. In fact, it was devotion to the Sorrows of Mary that inspired Michaelangelo to sculpt the famous Pieta which images our sorrowing Lady holding the dead Body of her Son.

The seven swords piercing Our Lady’s heart represent the seven main sorrows of her life. While the list has varied through time, since the 14th Century these seven chief sorrows of Mary have been called her seven dolors and were listed as:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon. 2. The Flight into Egypt. 3. The Loss of the Child Jesus for Three Days. 4. Meeting Jesus on the Way to Calvary. 5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus. 6. Jesus Taken Down from the Cross. 7. Jesus Laid in the Tomb.

Notice that each of the seven sorrows or dolors of Mary’s heart has its foundation in Sacred Scripture and each one is connected to the life of Our Lord. Even in her sufferings, Our Lady always points us to her Son. Through the image of Our Lady of Sorrows, we are reminded that Mary suffered in union with her son, Jesus Christ, for the salvation of the world, for the salvation of each and every one of us. No one is closer to Christ than Mary, and because of her intimate union with Him, no one has participated more deeply in His redemptive suffering.

As our spiritual mother, Mary wants to help us in our travail. She wants to intercede for us and obtain the grac we need to experience healing and hope. Reflecting on this, Father Faber, a 19th century priest who plumbs the depths of Our Lady’s sorrows in his classic work, The Foot of the Cross, tells us that we should seek to see Our Lord’s passion through the loving eyes of His mother. Her tenderness, her beatitude can help us in our own struggles, suffering, and pain.

I encourage you to develop a devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows. Mary, Our Mother in the order of grace, will help us experience that abundant life of her Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Mary, Help of All Christians, pray for us.