Mother's Day is this Sunday. I should be 6 months pregnant and happily planning the arrival of a late summer baby, but I'm afraid my 1st Mother's Day is not going to be the joyous occasion I had imagined it would be.
May is also my birth month and Mary's month (The reason my parents chose Mary as my middle name). Mary is the perfect model of motherhood and she experienced much sorrow as a mother. So I started thinking.....maybe this Mother's Day is not going to be everything I had hoped and prayed it would be, but Mary, Mother of all Mothers, offers consolation to a grieving mother's heart as I unite my sorrows with hers.
INFERTILITY, MISCARRIAGE, AND INFANT LOSS MEDITATIONS ON THE SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY
1) The Prophecy of Simeon. "And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed." – Luke II, 34-35
Meditation -Mary knows the devastation and immense sadness of the infertile woman, who receives the news that she may never have children and the overpowering grief of every mother, who has heard the words "I'm sorry, but you had a miscarriage." Mary received news that Her Son was going to suffer and be put to death.
2) The Flight into Egypt. "And after they (the wise men) were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise and take the child and His mother and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy Him. Who arose and took the child and His mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and He was there until the death of Herod." – Matt. II, 13-14.
Meditation-Mary understands the sorrow and exhaustion of the infertile woman, whose journey to motherhood has lasted years without any idea of how much longer she will have to endure the pain of being childless or if she will ever get to hold a baby in Her arms. Mary knows the fear and anxiety of the woman who has had multiple miscarriages. This woman is panicked with fear that each new pregnancy may result in yet another miscarriage. Mary understands because She had to flee with Her Son in the middle of the night for fear that He would be murdered and She had no idea when it would be safe to return home.
3) The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple. "And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not finding Him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him." Luke II, 43-45.
Meditation - Mary understands the grief of every woman who has experienced loss. The loss of hopes and dreams when every month the woman is confronted with a negative pregnancy test.
4) The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross. "And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented Him." – Luke XXIII, 27.
Meditation-Mary knows the heartache of every woman who has ever had to watch their premature baby suffer and struggle to hold on to life, but is powerless to do anything. Mary watched Her Son be tortured and nailed to a cross.
5) Mary stands at the foot of the Cross. "They crucified Him. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, He saith to His Mother: Woman: behold thy son. After that he saith to the disciple: Behold thy Mother." – John XIX, l8-25-27.
Mary knows the indescribable anguish that overtakes a mother when her child dies, either in the womb, during childbirth or only a few months old. Mary saw Her Son die a very gruesome and cruel death before Her very eyes.
6) Mary receives the dead body of Jesus in Her Arms "Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counselor, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking Him down, wrapped Him up in the fine linen." – Mark XV, 43-46.
Mary understands the emotional torture that a mother feels when she cradles her dead baby in her arms. Mary held Jesus's beaten and lifeless body in Her arms. Her tears streamed down her face like every mother who has had to experience that horror.
7) The burial of Jesus. "Now there was in the place where He was crucified, a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein no man yet had been laid. There, therefore, because of the parasceve of the Jews, they laid Jesus, because the sepulcher was nigh at hand." John XIX, 41-42.
Mary understands the almost paralyzing grief of every woman who has had to bury their baby. She knows the feeling of every woman who has every had their heart ripped out of their chest as they lay to rest their baby. She knows the sorrow of every woman who has had to lay to rest the dream of ever having a baby. Mary watched as Her Son was laid to rest in a tomb.
