Our Lady of Sorrows
(c)Mateo Ivankovic 2016 JMJ September 15, 2016 Our Lady of Sorrows Dear Family of Mary! On this beautiful day we remember all the sorrows Our Lady endured in her life. She had so many sorrows. Most of them had to do with watching the way her Son was treated by those He came to save. He was misunderstood, rejected, ridiculed, hounded, laughed at, betrayed, wrongly condemned, tortured cruelly, and hung on a cross to die. She traveled that road with Him, not sparing herself any of the pain. She said “yes” to the Father through it all. Her heart was pierced with swords of pain and sorrow, as she followed Jesus throughout His life. But she has other sorrows as well. These sorrows involve her children on earth. She explains her sorrows for us in this message: February 02, 2013 “Dear children, love is bringing me to you – the love which I desire to teach you also – real love; the love which my Son showed you when He died on the Cross out of love for you; the love which is always ready to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. How great is your love? My motherly heart is sorrowful as it searches for love in your hearts. You are not ready to submit your will to God’s will out of love. You cannot help me to have those who have not come to know God’s love to come to know it, because you do not have real love. Consecrate your hearts to me and I will lead you. I will teach you to forgive, to love your enemies and to live according to my Son. Do not be afraid for yourselves. In afflictions my Son does not forget those who love. I will be beside you. I will implore the Heavenly Father for the light of eternal truth and love to illuminate you. Pray for your shepherds so that through your fasting and prayer they can lead you in love. Thank you.” Mother Mary suffers to see us so unable to respond to the love of God. She is aware of how little we love; how little we desire God. Even now, after years of apparitions, we still have cold hearts. What will it take to wake us up to the great love of Jesus? In this next message Our Lady helps us to wake up to the love of Jesus. And she tells us that she knows our sorrows, and wants to teach us how they will also move us forward: February 02, 2016 “Dear children, I have called you and am calling you anew to come to know my Son, to come to know the truth. I am with you and am praying for you to succeed. My children, you must pray much in order to have all the more love and patience; to know how to endure sacrifice and to be poor in spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, my Son is always with you. His Church is born in every heart that comes to know Him. Pray that you can come to know my Son; pray that your soul may be one with Him. That is the prayer and the love which draws others and makes you my apostles. I am looking at you with love, with a motherly love. I know you; I know your pain and sorrows, because I also suffered in silence. My faith gave me love and hope. I repeat, the Resurrection of my Son and my Assumption into Heaven is hope and love for you. Therefore, my children, pray to come to know the truth; to have firm faith which will lead your heart and which will transform your pain and sufferings into love and hope. Thank you.” We must pray to come to know the truth, that Jesus loves us and died for us. We need grace to see things as they are. We need eyes to see the joy of salvation, and to run to Jesus in every situation. Our Lady says that she knows our pains and sorrows because she lived them as well. She is one of us. And she has seen how those very sorrows lead to joy, in God. She will lead us on this path. We are all children of sorrow, but we are going towards joy! Here is a prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows: Our mother of sorrows, with strength from above you stood by the cross, sharing in the sufferings of Jesus, and with tender care you bore Him in your arms, mourning and weeping. We praise you for your faith, which accepted the life God planned for you. We praise you for your hope, which trusted that God would do great things in you. We praise you for your love in bearing with Jesus the sorrows of His passion. Holy Mary, may we follow your example, and stand by all your children who need comfort and love. Mother of God, stand by us in our trials and care for us in our many needs. Pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen! In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy ©Mary TV 2016 PS. The pilgrimage that Mike Nolan is leading on October 3 – 14 still has room. Pray about coming!! The air fares are quite low. If you have been waiting for the right time to go to Medjugorje, this may be it!! Mike Nolan 574-335-9952