Friday, February 23, 2007

Rosary of Sorrows



Seven Sorrows of Our Lady
Prayerfully consider beginning a devotion to honor and appease the tears of our Lady by meditating on her seven sorrows. Simply recite one Hail Mary as you think/contemplate the seven sorrows that are particularly singled out by Holy Mother Church for our veneration.
1. The Prophecy of Simeon at the Presentation
2. The Flight into Egypt
3. Jesus lost in the temple for three days
4. Meeting Jesus as He carries His cross
5. Death of Our Lord Jesus on the cross
6. Jesus is taken down from the cross and laid in the arms of His Mother
7. The burial of Jesus
Another way to honor Mary's sorrows and appease her tears is to use the rosary of Our Lady of Tears to pray the chaplet of Mary's seven sorrows. Simply meditate on her sorrows, and pray on the beads as you would pray the rosary, i.e. Our Fathers followed by Hail Marys. If you wish, there are Our Lady's Sorrows rosaries (also called chaplets interchangably). These typically have black beads and medals in place of the Our Father beads depicting each sorrowful scene. More on this tomorrow.
Prayer ~ In Your Tears
In your tears, O grieving Mother, what a world of sorrow shimmers, while the rot of hate now simmers. As they vie with one another to add shame to the weight he bears. In your tears, O grieving Mother, echoes all the weight of sin, pain and anguish entered in. Since Eva listened to another, and the world grew rife with tares. In your tears, O grieving Mother, witness to a great God's gift, of how he chose to heal the rift, sacrificing for all others. Lamb of God, the cross now bears. In your tears, O grieving Mother I see the sorrow veil your face, as you penetrate that place, your greatest yes to give the Father. The pain of your son's death you bear. Let me grieve with you, my Mother, as you sit in sorrow deep. God pierce my heart that I might weep for the sins of self and brother, that lead you to such pain and care. Susan E. Stone

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