Throughout the ages devout Catholics have recognized seven sorrows of Our Lady: three in the hidden life and four on the way to Calvary and the tomb. There were probably many more instances in Our Lord's life when the Blessed Mother felt anguish and tribulation. Yet the Scriptures say nothing explicit about her actual grief. The prophecy of Simeon about the sword piercing her heart may refer to her future sorrow because of the suffering of her son. Or more likely it means the sharp, difficult decision to stay by the side of Jesus when others reject him. Even the picture of Mary standing near the cross of Jesus emphasizes, not her anguish, but her courage and trust in God: she stood by the cross.

Still, Christian tradition has always understood Mary to be the sorrowing mother during her Son's excruciating torments and death. She has been called a martyr in spirit.

Yesterday, we celebrated the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, for Jesus died on the cross and then rose from the dead in glory! Mary suffered anguish of soul with her Son, but she rejoiced in His glorious resurrection and shared in it through her assumption into Heaven.