September 15 | Our Lady of Sorrows

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, imagine that your entire world is crashing down around you. The danger in front of you is so real, so terrifying, that all of your closest friends, even the bravest ones you thought you could count on, turn their backs and run away in absolute panic.

The situation seems entirely hopeless. But you? You don't run. You don't flee. You stay right where you are, standing firm in the middle of a literal nightmare, watching the person you love most in the world endure unimaginable pain.

Today, we celebrate Our Lady of Sorrows. When most of us think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, we usually picture her in a peaceful, quiet stable at Christmas, surrounded by angels and shepherds. But her title of Our Lady of Sorrows shows us a completely different, fiercely loyal side of her.

This feast focuses entirely on Mary's interior passion, the intense, silent suffering she experienced inside her own heart as she participated in the passion of Christ. The main attribute associated with Mary in this feast is a heart pierced by seven swords.

Yes, you heard that right. Seven swords. Historically, there are seven massive sufferings associated with Mary's life, which are the very events depicted as these swords piercing her heart. Think about what these events actually meant for a real living person. Let's walk through them.

The first sword is the prophecy of Simeon, a mysterious and dark warning about the pain that was to come. The second is the flight into Egypt. Imagine becoming a refugee, running for your life in the middle of the night to escape a king's wrath. The third is the terrifying, heart-stopping experience of losing young Jesus in the crowded temple. Then, The final four swords all strike rapidly at the very end of Jesus' life. She met Jesus on the brutal way to Calvary.

She watched the crucifixion happen right in front of her. She received the lifeless body of her son into her arms. And finally, she witnessed the burial of Jesus. All of this culminated in her standing right at the very foot of the cross.

And here is the absolute most fascinating and dramatic part about Mary in this story. Unlike the closest friends of Jesus, the apostles, who were terrified of the authorities and fled the scene, she did not flee. She remained. Her suffering was completely unique because it was perfectly united to faith. Have you ever been in a situation that was a situation where you were terrified of the authorities and fled the scene? Completely unfair, confusing, and painful, and you just wanted to hide in your room and block out the world?

Mary felt that deep confusion, but she did not withdraw. She leaned in. These seven sorrows are often painted not just as standard swords, but as daggers violently wounding her heart. These daggers carry a heavy meaning. They represent the seven deadly sins.

These are the sins that we, as Christians, commit, which profoundly hurt the heart of Mary. Because of this, she acts as a powerful patron and intercessor for sinners. The feast presents her not as a distant historical figure, but as a deeply loving mother who suffers, who forgives, and who stands right before her son to intercede for our own sins.

So, don't withdraw when things get tough. You might have a friend who is going through a really painful time. Maybe they are dealing with vicious rumors, going through terrible family trouble, or just feeling deeply isolated. It is so easy to pull away, because other people's pain makes us uncomfortable. It's easy to be like the apostles and just flee. Instead, be like Mary. You don't need to have all the answers to fix your friend's problems.

You don't even need to fully understand everything your friend is going through. You just need to remain. Stand by them in their suffering, just as Mary stood firm at the foot of the cross. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.