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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday, Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, 15 September 2022 Hebrews 5:7-9 ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> + ><}}}}*> John 19:25-27
A day after celebrating the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, you remind us today dear Jesus of your most wonderful gift to us, a companion and a model in discipleship, Mary your Mother.
Being the first disciple, Mary was the first to receive and welcome you at your Annunciation, the first to truly believe in you when she immediately told you how the newly-wed couple ran out of wine at Cana, and the first to remain in you at the foot of the Cross; there at the Cross as your Sorrowful Mother, Mary taught us the most important aspect of discipleship: intimacy in you and with you in prayer.
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
John 19:25-27
As I prayed on this memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, I wondered what was your Mother Mary was doing there at the foot of your Cross, Lord Jesus?
More than the tears and sorrow on her face as portrayed in arts, all I can see and experience at her most lovely face, O Lord, is a disciple so absorbed in prayer, so united and close with you! How sad, dear Jesus, that many of us have forgotten this very important aspect of discipleship your Mother had shown us, a life centered on prayer; more than reciting prayers, it is residing in you, Jesus!
Teach us, dear Jesus, to be like Mary, to truly take her like the disciple you loved of being intimate with you and the Father in prayers; her standing at the foot of your Cross did not simply happen at the spur of the moment; it was the highest moment of her long periods of time spent in prayers, of communing with you and in you; many times, we only come to you when we are standing at your Cross, when trials and difficulties happen but when everything is going well, we hardly remembered you nor be with you at prayer.
All her life, Mary lived her life in prayer in you and with you dear Jesus; when the Pentecost happened, she was praying with your disciples at the Upper Room awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit; teach us, Lord Jesus, that discipleship is essentially prayer; whatever we do, it is always borne out of prayer.
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us your children, especially your priests who are supposed to be disciples too of your Son to immerse ourselves in prayer first of all because before all else came, there was Jesus Christ who came first calling us, sending us on a mission to proclaim the good news to everyone. Amen.
