20220915 SHARING IN CHRIST’S REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING WITH MARY
15 September, 2022, Thursday, Our Lady of Sorrows
First reading | Hebrews 5:7-9 © |
He learned to obey and he became the source of eternal salvation
During his life on earth, Christ offered up prayer and entreaty, aloud and in silent tears, to the one who had the power to save him out of death, and he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard. Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering; but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 30(31):2-6,15-16,20 © |
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free,
hear me and speedily rescue me.
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
Release me from the snares they have hidden
for you are my refuge, Lord.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
But as for me, I trust in you, Lord;
I say: ‘You are my God.
My life is in your hands, deliver me
from the hands of those who hate me.’
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
How great is the goodness, Lord,
that you keep for those who fear you,
that you show to those who trust you
in the sight of men.
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
Sequence |
Stabat Mater
At the cross her station keeping
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last;
through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
all his bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword had passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother highly blessed
of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs;
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
she beheld her tender child
all with bloody scourges rent;
for the sins of his own nation
saw him hang in desolation,
till his spirit forth he sent.
O you Mother, fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with yours accord:
make me feel as you have felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ our Lord.
Holy Mother, pierce me through;
in my heart each wound renew
of my Saviour crucified.
Let me share with you his pain
who for all our sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with you,
mourning him who mourned for me
all the days that I may live:
by the cross with you to stay,
there with you to weep and pray,
is all I ask of you to give.
Virgin of all virgins best,
listen to my fond request:
let me share your grief divine;
let me to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of yours.
Wounded with his every wound,
steep my soul till it has swooned
in his very blood away;
be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die
in his awful judgement day.
Christ, when you shall call me hence,
be your Mother my defence,
be your cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
may my soul your goodness praise,
safe in paradise with you.
Gospel Acclamation |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy is the Virgin Mary,
who, without dying,
won the palm of martyrdom
beneath the cross of the Lord.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 19:25-27 © |
'Woman, this is your son'
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.
SHARING IN CHRIST’S REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING WITH MARY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Heb 5:7-9; Ps 31: 2-6, 15-16, 20; Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35]
Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross. The corollary to the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross appropriately is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. More than any other, Mary has been chosen to share most intimately in the sufferings of her Son. She was chosen to share in His passion. Whereas Jesus suffered in the body, notwithstanding His soul, Mary suffered in the soul for Christ and with Christ. This suffering is the fulfilment of the prophecy of Simeon when he said, “You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.” Indeed, it is for good reason the Church even honours her with the sublime title of “co-redemptrix.”
How did she share in the sufferings and the passion of Christ? As a mother, she would be most identified with Christ. She carried Him in her womb for nine months and was with Him day and night for 30 years of His life. She knew Jesus’ mind and heart. She was with Him in everything, including doing the will of God. That is why at Cana in Galilee, she told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
From the beginning of the life of Jesus till His death, or rather from the womb to the tomb, Mary suffered with Christ. At her conception of Jesus, she was misunderstood by Joseph. Upon the birth of Christ, she had to flee with Jesus to Egypt because of the persecution. During Jesus’ teenage years, she had to deal with the angst of a growing boy finding His identity. When Jesus was 30 years old, she had to bear the pain of separation when He entered the ministry. When He was doing well in the ministry, she had to suffer the pain of being misunderstood and rejected by closed relatives and friends because they thought He was mad. When He was arrested, scourged, mocked, ridiculed and taunted, she saw and bore the pain with Jesus. On the way to Mount Calvary, she suffered the pain of seeing her Son in a most pitiable state, for He was like a criminal condemned to an innocent death. At the cross, she had to bear the sight of the nails being driven one by one into His body. Finally, when she thought everything was over, a lance was pierced into His heart. The sight of this piercing would have been the last straw for Mary. When Mary carried Jesus’ lifeless body in her arms, how sad and sorrowful Mary must have felt. But through all these events, she stood by Jesus all the way as a mother would for her children, even standing underneath the cross when all, including Christ’s closest friends abandoned the Lord.
In the light of this, we are now called to bring Mary to our home, that is, to share in Christ’s suffering just as she did. This was what the Lord instructed the beloved disciple who represented the Christian community, the Church. “Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing hear her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.” (Jn 19:26f)
Why is it necessary to share in Christ’s suffering? St Paul gives us the reason, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.” (Col 1:24) In other words, we are called to share in Christ’s suffering for our redemption and the redemption of the world. This is what we call, redemptive suffering.
How does redemptive suffering work? In the first place, it works for us. We all need salvation. We need to be purified in love and in truth. Even Jesus had to learn obedience through suffering. “Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” (Heb 5:8f) Only when we do the will of God, like Christ, can we find peace and integrity. Suffering therefore is a means by which we resign ourselves to the will of God. It is fidelity to God even unto death that brings us salvation. Through suffering, we learn to depend on God and not simply on ourselves. We realize our position in this world and are not deceived into thinking that we are so great or powerful. In the face of illnesses and tragedy in our lives, we are helpless. So suffering can help us in our conversion and growth in holiness.
But suffering can also help the salvation of others. It can awaken their conscience to the illusions of this world. This is what the Prophet Simeon said, “You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected … so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.” Jesus by His passion, death and resurrection will expose the secret motives of all of us. For those who cheat themselves, they will destroy themselves. For those who respond to Christ, they will rise from the pit.
Our suffering can edify those who see us suffer with joy and faith. If we suffer patiently, cheerfully and cooperate with the grace of God, using the means given to us, we can inspire others who are sick and even the healthy. By seeing us suffer positively and in the way we carry our crosses of life with fortitude, patience and hope, others in their trials will also find strength to carry on. As St James urges us, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4) This is true when we suffer patiently and unjustly. Innocent suffering transforms the world. This is what St Peter said, “Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called – that you might inherit a blessing (1 Pt 3:9)
This is particularly true with respect to forgiveness of those who have hurt us or wronged us. We are called to be magnanimous and forgive them the way Jesus forgave us at the cross. Not only did He forgive us, but He made excuses for us and prayed for our forgiveness. In forgiving others, we show them the mercy of God, and our faith that justice, love and life will triumph over injustice, hatred and death. This is the prayer of the psalmist. He said, “Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.” So through our compassion and forgiveness, we will bring healing and win over our strayed brothers and sisters to the Lord.
Hence, if we find ourselves suffering for the wrong reasons and suffering without joy, we need to pray for wisdom so that we can understand how suffering can be redemptive for us and for others. But we must suffer in faith with cheerfulness, patience and hope. St James says, “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.” (James 1:5)
Through prayer and contemplation on the Crucified Lord who led the way in suffering and contemplation on our Lady of Sorrows, we will find strength and inspiration to join them in suffering for the redemption of the world, beginning with ours. As we contemplate on their lives, we too will learn to suffer with others the way Mary suffered with Jesus. We come to realize that the greatest form of charity to those who are suffering goes beyond simply helping them financially or physically. But it is to stand by them and being with them to give them moral and spiritual support. This is what they need most in these times to help them find the strength to conquer their weaknesses and discipline themselves in a life of virtue and holiness. Helping them to do the task is not the best way, but to give them the strength to overcome the difficulty is even greater. Beyond mere empathy, we suffer with them by being identified with their sufferings as we carry their infirmities on our bodies like the suffering servant. We need to be in union with them in mind and heart and in emotions if we are to give them the strength to endure their trials. By identifying ourselves with them, we will be more compassionate and understanding. Most of all, we suffer for them by being of service whenever we can. At times we might have to suffer in silence because we are unappreciated or misunderstood. To suffer for doing good is what innocent suffering is all about. In this way, our suffering will indeed be truly redemptive for ourselves and for others.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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