Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows - Memorial
Alternative Celebration: Learn more here.
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Liturgical Cycle: C | Lectionary Cycle: I
Introduction
Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady has its roots in Sacred Scripture and in Christian piety, which always associates the Blessed Mother with her suffering Son. Today’s feast was introduced by the Servites in order to intensify devotion to Our Lady’s Sorrows. In 1817 Pius VII — suffering grievously in exile but finally liberated by Mary’s intercession — extended the feast to the universal Church.
In 1913, Pope Pius X fixed the date of the Memorial on September 15. The title “Our Lady of Sorrows” focuses on Mary’s intense suffering during the passion and death of Christ. “The Seven Dolors,” the title by which it was celebrated in the 17th century, referred to the seven swords that pierced the Heart of Mary. The feast is like an octave for the birthday of Our Lady, celebrated on September 8th.
People who want to carry out their mission in life often have a high price to pay. Jesus continued his mission of love, doing the Father’s will to save us, and was nailed to the cross for it. Mary had been told by Simeon that she would suffer for and with her Son. When a child suffers, also the mother suffers. Yet she, too, was faithful to her mission of giving Jesus to the world. The closer one is to the Lord, the closer one often is to his cross.
Opening Prayer
Lord God,
we know that sorrow and pain
are inescapable in this life
for those who follow your crucified Son.
Give us enough trust in you
to remain faithful to you
and to believe and hope in your love
even in the depth of suffering.
Give us the courage
to face the hardships of life
and to bear one another’s crosses
in union with Mary, our sorrowing Mother,
inn the service of Jesus Christ our Lord.
First Reading
Christ, in the days of his mortal life, offered his sacrifice with tears and cries. He prayed to him who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his humble submission.
Although he was Son, he learned through suffering what obedience was,
and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for those who obey him.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 31:2 and 3b, 3cd-4, 5-6, 15-16, 20
R. (17) Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me,
make haste to deliver me!
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
But my trust is in you, O LORD,
I say, "You are my God."
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
How great is your goodness, O LORD,
which you have in store for those who fear you,
And which, toward those who take refuge in you,
you show in the sight of the children of men.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
Second Reading
Sequence (Optional) — 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 sweet Mother! font 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, my Lord.
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior 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 blest!
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 judgment day.
Christ, when you shall call me hence,
Be your Mother my defense,
Be your cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally.
Amen. (Alleluia)
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary;
without dying you won the martyr's crown
beneath the Cross of the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prayers of the Faithful
– That those who believe in the Lord Jesus may express their faith in deeds of justice and love, of dedicated service and of endless compassion, we pray:
– That all peoples of the earth may hear where the Lord Jesus can be found, come to know his name and pray to him, we pray:
– That we may welcome strangers and foreigners in our Christian communities and make them feel at home with us, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God of our happiness,
with our human wisdom
we seek happiness without pain,
glory without sacrifice.
But in your divine wisdom,
or foolishness as Paul calls it,
give us here your Son Jesus Christ
to teach us again the value of the cross.
With Mary we want to serve him
who is our Lord who died an rose again,
and our Savior for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Our living and loving God,
in this holy meal we have celebrated
the death and resurrection of Jesus, your Son
and proclaimed suffering and death
as a painful, but necessary way
to lasting glory an happiness.
Let this eucharist be our strength
to carry the burdens of life
and to learn from Mary
to stand by the side of all
in whom suffers your Son and hers,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
For God there are no strangers, no foreigners, no aliens. He knows them all, accepts them all, loves them all, whether they know it or not, for they are all his children. May you accept them as God does, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
15 SEPTEMBER 2025
Today, we honour Our Lady of Sorrows, the Mother who stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross. In 1233, seven devout men in Florence each had a vision from the Blessed Virgin Mary, inspiring them to form a religious community that would later be known as the Servites. This devotion originated centuries ago, and through the Servite Order and the Church’s prayers, it has evolved into a feast celebrated by all the faithful. But more than history, this day is an invitation to look into the heart of Mary, a heart that suffered with her Son yet never lost hope.
From the very beginning, Mary knew that her life with Jesus would not be easy. When she presented Him in the Temple, Simeon announced that a sword would pierce her heart. That prophecy was fulfilled as she passed through the events of her life - in their escape into Egypt, in losing the Child Jesus for three days, in meeting him on the way to Calvary, and above all in standing beneath the Cross as He gave His life for us.
As she lived these sorrows with a mother’s love, we realise that she did not run away, she did not protest angrily, she did not sink into despair. Instead, she stayed, remained close to her Son with strength, tenderness, and compassion. This is why the Church gives her to us as Our Lady of Sorrows—because she teaches us how to face suffering without being crushed by it.
Sometimes we think sorrow means sadness or defeat. But the Gospel teaches us something different. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” True sorrow is born from love. Mary’s sorrow was not self-pity.
Brothers and sisters, we too carry sorrows. We know the pain of loss, the weight of injustice, the sadness of broken relationships. Mary invites us not to deny these sorrows, nor to let them turn into bitterness, but to live them with faith. She shows us that sorrow, when lived with love, can become a path to deeper compassion, a way to stay close to Jesus, and even a source of new life.
Mary continues to accompany us in our own sorrows, whispering hope, pointing always to her Son who turns death into life. Let us entrust our hearts to her today, asking her to teach us how to love even in suffering, so that our sorrows may become seeds of resurrection.
Our Lady of Sorrows
John 19:25-27
Faith in times of pain
At the foot of the Cross, when the darkness of suffering seemed to extinguish all hope, love remained. Four women stood there, not out of insignificance or safety, but because “perfect love casts out fear.” Their presence was an act of courage, loyalty, and love.
First among them was Mary, the Mother of Jesus. She may not have understood the mystery unfolding in full, but her heart could do what it always did: love her Son to the end. Here, the prophecy of Simeon—“a sword will pierce your soul” (Luke 2:35)—was fulfilled. Her sorrow was deep, yet her faith remained unbroken.
Beside her stood her sister and Mary, the wife of Clopas, of whom we do not know anything more. Then there was Mary Magdalene, who never forgot the mercy she had received. Out of her, Jesus had cast seven demons, and her love burned with gratitude that could not die, even at the Cross.
And finally, there was John, the beloved disciple, entrusted with a sacred mission: to take Mary as his own mother, and for Mary to take John as her son. John is a representative of every “disciple whom Jesus loves.” To his beloved disciples, he entrusts his Mother. He entrusted her to love and be loved, showing us that true discipleship is not only about great deeds but about caring for one another in our most ordinary human needs.
The Cross reveals both suffering and tenderness. Our Lady of Sorrows teaches us to remain steadfast in faith even when pierced by pain. With her, we learn that love, lived in fidelity and courage, always stands firm at the foot of the Cross.