Devotion to our Lady of Sorrows

[Therese]

Dear Friends and Fellow Children of Mary,

It is my strong desire that each one of us have a special devotion to our Lady of Sorrows.  I have heard that this devotion is one that causes one of the most rapid increases in sanctity in its devotees.  St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows increased in sanctity very rapidly by means of this devotion, and so can we increase in sanctity very rapidly.  There are wonderful promises from our Lord and our Lady associated with this devotion, as revealed by St. John the Evangelist after the Assumption and by St. Bridget of Sweden.  What more perfect time is there than this Lent to begin this most excellent devotion, if we have not already been practicing it.  For those of us who already have been practicing some devotion to our Lady of Sorrows, let us increase our love and deepen our devotion to our Sorrowful Mother.  She weeps and suffers over the loss of so many souls and over our indifference and forgetfulness of all that her Son and she has suffered for our happiness and salvation.  Let us console her and give her all that we are and possess with a tender devotion to her in her sorrows, so that she will be consoled and so that many souls will be saved.  God bless you, and Mary keep you!  Have a blessed Lent!

Yours in our Lady's Sorrows,
Therese

[Poche]

Here is how the Chaplet of Seven Sorrows is prayed:

Each group of seven is begun with an Our Father, as in the regular Rosary. Some people start with an Act of Contrition, since the devotion has a penitential aspect. Also like the regular Rosary, the groups of seven Hail Marys are an occasion for meditation on "Mysteries" — in this case, the Seven Sorrows of Mary, listed below:

The First Sorrow
The Prophecy of Simeon
Reading: Luke 2:25-35.

When Mary and Joseph present the infant Jesus in the temple, Simeon predicts that a "sword" (of sorrow) will pierce Mary's soul.

The Second Sorrow
The flight into Egypt
Reading: Matthew 2:13-15.

When King Herod orders the death of all male children age two or younger, Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt with the infant Jesus.

The Third Sorrow
The Child Jesus Lost in the Temple
Reading: Luke 2: 41-50.

Mary and Joseph search for the child Jesus for three days, finding Him at last — after agonizing sorrow — in the temple.

The Fourth Sorrow
Mary meets Jesus carrying the cross
Reading: Luke 23: 27-29.

As Jesus makes His way to Calvary, condemned to crucifixion, He meets His mother, Mary. He is bruised, derided, cursed and defiled and her sorrow is absolute as Jesus drags His own cross up the hill of His crucifixion.

The Fifth Sorrow
Mary at the foot of the cross
Reading: John 19: 25-30.

Mary stands near her dying Son unable to minister to him as He cries "I thirst." She hears Him promise heaven to a thief and forgive His enemies. His last words, "Behold your mother," charge us to look on Mary as our mother.

The Sixth Sorrow
Mary receives the body of Jesus
Reading: Psalm 130.

Jesus is taken down from the cross and His body is placed in Mary's arms. The passion and death are over, but for His mother, grief continues. She holds His body in her arms.

The Seventh Sorrow
Mary witnesses the burial of Jesus
Reading: Luke 23: 50-56.

The body of Jesus is laid in the tomb. The most tragic day in history ends, Mary alone in sorrow, awaiting the Resurrection.

[Therese]

Thank you so much, Poche, for posting this for all our fellow SDF members!  I used to pray the Chaplet daily, but now I have been meditating daily on the 7 Dolors of our Lady to 7 Hail Marys.  I think I will start praying the Chaplet again.  God bless you!

[whiterockdove]

Thanks Poche,  oh no! Another prayer that I can't resist adding to
My list!   

[CyrilSebastian]

                   From At the Cross Her Station Keeping:     
                    Fairest maid of all creation,     
                    Queen of hope and consolation,         
                    Let me feel your grief sublime.     
 
                  These are lovely words to describe Mary. Mary had hope. Mary was consoling.     
 
                     

[whiterockdove]

Amen brother!!
 

[Therese]

                  From At the Cross Her Station Keeping:      
                    Fairest maid of all creation,    
                    Queen of hope and consolation,        
                    Let me feel your grief sublime.    
  
                  These are lovely words to describe Mary. Mary had hope. Mary was consoling.      
  
                    

Yes, they are lovely!  She indeed always had hope and for this reason could rightly be called Queen of Hope, but I think that she is called Queen of Hope mostly because by her fiat she has given each one of us hope.  God bless you!

[Poche]

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven,
Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us.

Holy Virgin of virgins,
pray for us.

Mother of the Crucified,
pray for us.

Sorrowful Mother,
pray for us.

Mournful Mother,
pray for us.

Sighing Mother,
pray for us.

Afflicted Mother,
pray for us.

Foresaken Mother,
pray for us.

Desolate Mother,
pray for us.

Mother most sad,
pray for us.

Mother set around with anguish,
pray for us.

Mother overwhelmed by grief,
pray for us.

Mother transfixed by a sword,
pray for us.

Mother crucified in thy heart,
pray for us.

Mother bereaved of thy Son,
pray for us.

Sighing Dove,
pray for us.

Mother of Dolors,
pray for us.

Fount of tears,
pray for us.

Sea of bitterness,
pray for us.

Field of tribulation,
pray for us.

Mass of suffering,
pray for us.

Mirror of patience,
pray for us.

Rock of constancy,
pray for us.

Remedy in perplexity,
pray for us.

Joy of the afflicted,
pray for us.

Ark of the desolate,
pray for us.

Refuge of the abandoned,
pray for us.

Shield of the oppressed,
pray for us.

Conqueror of the incredulous,
pray for us.

Solace of the wretched,
pray for us.

Medicine of the sick,
pray for us.

Help of the faint,
pray for us.

Strength of the weak,
pray for us.

Protectress of those who fight,
pray for us.

Haven of the shipwrecked,
pray for us.

Calmer of tempests,
pray for us.

Companion of the sorrowful,
pray for us.

Retreat of those who groan,
pray for us.

Terror of the treacherous,
pray for us.

Standard-bearer of the Martyrs,
pray for us.

Treasure of the Faithful,
pray for us.

Light of Confessors,
pray for us.

Pearl of Virgins,
pray for us.

Comfort of Widows,
pray for us.

Joy of all Saints,
pray for us.

Queen of thy Servants,
pray for us.

Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled,
pray for us.

Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O God, in whose Passion,
according to the prophecy of Simeon,
a sword of grief pierced through the most
sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary:
grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows,
may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion,
Who lives and reigns world without end.

Amen.

[Therese]

What a most beautiful litany, Poche!  Thank you so much for posting it!!  I'm going to make a copy of it to pray every day.  God bless you!

[CyrilSebastian]

In 1913 Pope Pius X fixed the date of The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15.   
The title "Our Lady of Sorrows" focuses on Mary's intense suffering during the passion and demise of Jesus.

[Shin]

It's really wonderful to see people follow this devotion to Our Lady!