Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows – Sunday 15 September 2024
Over this last week, each evening, a number of us have had the opportunity to come together online and reflect on the seven sorrows of Our Lady – the seven moments that our Tradition gives us by which to consider the part Mary, the Mother of Jesus, plays in his life – and not only in the life of Jesus, but in our own lives as we struggle with the reality of suffering in our own experience. We have explored in different ways the mystery of suffering, love, and hope, all embodied in the figure of Our Lady of Sorrows, the woman who stands steadfastly at the foot of Jesus’ Cross. Despite her overwhelming grief, Mary remains present, she does not turn away. She remains with Jesus until the very end, offering him the strength of her presence. This is the greatest act of love a mother can give—to be with her child in the hour of greatest need, even when there is nothing she can do to ease the pain.
As Jesus hangs on the Cross, Jesus entrusts Mary to the care of his disciple, John saying, “Woman, behold your son” (John 19:26), and to the disciple, “Behold your mother” (John 19:27).
In this ever so brief an exchange, we see a pivotal moment in salvation history. While these words – “Woman, behold your son”, and “Son, behold your mother” – establish a new relationship between Mary and John, they also reveal Mary’s role in the life of the Church. By addressing Mary as “Woman,” Jesus echoes the title used in the wedding at Cana (John 2:4), and alludes to the ‘woman’ of Genesis 3:15, the one whose offspring will crush the serpent’s head. Just as Eve was the mother of all the living in the natural order, Mary becomes, now, the mother of all believers in the new order of grace. Mary, the new Eve, is the woman who, in obedience and love, cooperates with the redemptive work of her Son. Therefore, in this moment, Jesus entrusts Mary not only to John but to the entire Church. When Jesus says to him, “Behold, your mother,” he is giving Mary to all of us as our spiritual mother. We, like John, are invited to take her “into our home,” meaning into our hearts and into the very centre of our spiritual lives. Just as John takes on the role of a son to Mary, so too do we become her spiritual children
The scene at the foot of the Cross signifies the birth of a new family—the family of God. The crucifixion marks, therefore, not only the climax of Jesus’ redemptive mission but also the beginning of a new community, united in Christ’s love and sacrifice. By giving Mary to John and John to Mary, Jesus creates a new relationship that transcends biological bonds. In this way, the Cross is not just the place of Christ’s suffering; it is also the place where new life begins. It is into this life, the life of the new community brought into being at Calvary, that we further welcome Adam, Sue, Atsushi, Justine, Mizuki and Potiphar today through the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Now, with Mary, we seek to foster the life of this new community in a very local way. At our recent Parish in Council just two weeks ago, I shared how it has struck me for some time that the name of our church, Our Lady of Sorrows, cannot be without significance. We have the most beautiful Pieta in our church, and many come before it to pray and to light a candle. I have also in more recent times become aware of the great number of people who come to our church who struggle with anxiety, loneliness, and depression in one form or another and across all ages. As Bernadette Jew pointed out at our Parish-in-Council, there are people in our own community who have no peace in their lives at all – instead, they live with fear, anxiety and depression on a daily basis. They feel as though they simply can’t face the world or daily living – even in our very peaceful part of the world. They often prefer to hide behind closed doors and face these struggles on their own. And when we talk about those who are suffering, we not just talking about those ‘out there’ on the streets of Chatswood or Sydney. I think that if we turn and ask the person next to us, we will find that almost all of us have had some experience of this in our own families. We all face moments of deep sorrow, be it in our personal lives, our families, or even in our community. Some of us may be grieving the loss of a loved one, struggling with illness, or carrying the weight of broken relationships. Others may be burdened by anxiety, fear, or uncertainty about the future. Thankfully, there is something about our church, Our Lady of Sorrows, at which people experience welcome and peace.
When we place these two experiences together- our church’s name and our pastoral observation – we can’t but wonder if there is a calling in this to us. How can we be a place in which those who struggle with their mental health in various ways find a sense of opportunity in our community? Does our parish community have a special mission in respect to this?
Some months ago, we called a few of our community together to reflect on this. We are in the very early days of thinking this through. However, one of the things most clear is our call to develop a ministry of listening, a ministry of accompaniment. This may just be allowing a space such as our PEW café to be a place where people can sit, talk and listen. It may be about initiating some friendship circles, and some activity circles, like a sewing group. Already we have 21a group that meets weekly, called Friend and Friendship. This group is intended for those parishioners who are feeling somewhat marginalized or reluctant to participate in parish life because of personal issues.
Our Wednesday night 6.30pm Mass of Hope, too, has become a part of this dialogue of love between Our Lady and members of our own parish community. We may have seen the Tree of Hope standing just in front of the lectern. Olivia created this so that our parishioners can write their own intentions for the Mass of Hope and attach them to the tree. It’s growing very fast.
Mary at the foot of the Cross. She reminds us that suffering is not the end, but a path that leads to redemption for her sorrow is not one without hope. Her faith teaches us that God can bring new life from the deepest pain. When we feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges, let us remember that we do not bear our burdens alone. Mary is with us, and more importantly, Jesus, who bore the ultimate sorrow on the Cross, is with us too.
Let us be a church, then, where the lonely, the grieving, and the hurting are welcomed and embraced. Let us walk with one another through our sorrows, just as Mary walked with her Son, and just as she now walks with us. Let us also ask for the grace to support one another in times of trial, so that together, as a parish family, we may become a beacon of hope for all who are in need of comfort.
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.
Amen.
