our Lady of sorrows

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31a

 As the body is one,

Having many members, and all the members, while being many, form one body, so it is with Christ. All of us, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, have been baptized in one Spirit to form one body and all of us have been given to drink from the one Spirit.

The body has not just one member, but many. Now, you are the body of Christ and each of you individually is a member of it. So God has appointed us in the Church. First apos­tles, second prophets, third teachers. Then come miracles, then the gift of healing, material help, administration in the Church and the gift of ton­gues.

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Can all perform miracles, or cure the sick, or speak in tongues, or explain what was said in ton­gues? Be that as it may, set your hearts on the most precious gifts, and I will show you a much better way.

 

Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5

We are his people; the sheep of his flock.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 19:25-27 (orLuke 2:33-35)

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister Mary, who was the wife of Cleophas, and Mary of Magdala.  When Jesus saw the Mother, and the disciple whom he loved, he said to the Mother, “Woman, this is your son.”   Then he said to the disciple, “There is your mother.” And from that moment the disciple took her to his own home.

 

Gospel Reflection：

In a counseling session for families of drug addicts, a mother shared, “I am mourning for my son, who died a few days ago. He died of overdose after more than twenty years of heavy drug use.

I am actually mourning for more than twenty years already. People call me a bad mother. But being a bad mother can actually be better than being no longer a mother at the death of my son.”

One can read this sharing a hundred times and may still be difficult to grasp. Unless if the one reading is someone who is or has been in her place. the sorrow of the Blessed Virgin Mother can be more difficult to bear than the suffering and death of Her Son.

She would have wished being the one crucified than being helpless in front of Her agonizing child.