Sep 15 – Memorial for Our Lady of Sorrows
Different sorrows of Mary have been honoured in the Church’s history, but since the 14th century, these seven have come to be regarded as the seven ‘dolors’ (sorrows) of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
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
By commemorating Our Lady of Sorrows, we call to mind the sufferings that Mary endured as part of her vocation as the Mother of the Redeemer. No one is closer to Christ than Mary, consequently no one has participated more intimately in the redemptive suffering of Christ than His Mother Mary.
http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Faith/1998-03-04/sorrows.html
Heb 5:7-9
Jn 19:25-27
Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering…
The latest fitness trend to have hit Singapore is that of the Hyrox competition. It is an event where participants need to clear 8 physically demanding challenges with a 1km run in between each challenge. There are participants who are fully immersed in the experience to the point where they participate in multiple events by flying to regional cities to participate in the same event. The process is indeed very challenging and physically demanding with often looks of pain and exhaustion on every participant. Having had the chance to participate in this last year, I can’t help but think that this is similar to the sorrows which our Lady had to undergo throughout her life. The similarity lies in the fact that the suffering is temporary, but the look of satisfaction at the end is something which nobody can take away from us.
Each of the events commemorated in today’s feast would have devastated any mother. Being told that your son would die, and then having to witness this prophecy come true, would have been awful for everyone. It certainly would be difficult to see one’s child having to die as a result of being falsely accused. The Gospel is silent on how Mother Mary bore with these events, but we can be assured that she bore all these with entreaty and trust in Jesus. To the reader who is reading this reflection, I wish to assure you that the struggles you are going through are real. It could be matters of the heart or money matters, or even the scars from a troubling relationship; these things are real, and they are difficult.
However, I would like to commit you to our Our Lady of Sorrows, who bore these struggles with even greater difficulty and continued to trust in the Lord. God’s plan is certainly something that you and I are unable to understand, but may you continue to believe in Jesus and follow the example of Mary, who in today’s feast reminds us that trust in Jesus is so important to allow us to get through the demands in our lives.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Nicholas Chia)
Prayer: Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.
Thanksgiving: We give thanks for all who continue to suffer on behalf of Jesus as an example of faith for us to follow.
OXYGEN 
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