MAY, THE MONTH OF MARY (MAY 27) – The Sixth Sorrow of our Lady: Pierce by a Lance and Deposed from the Cross

Jesus was dead, His sufferings were over, but for Our Lady it is not yet over; another sword will have to pierce Her.

In order that the feast of the following Jewish sabbath should not be disturbed, the Jews usually deposed the condemned from the cross; if they were not dead yet, they would kill them by breaking their bones.

Jesus’ death was certain; yet one of the soldiers approached the Cross, gave a stab with a spear and opened the side of the Redeemer; blood and water came out.

This spearing was for Jesus an outrage, and for the Virgin a new wound. If a mother saw a knife being stabbed in the chest of her dead son, what would she feel in her soul? … Our Lady contemplated that ruthless act and felt her Heart been pierced by the same spear. More tears flowed from Her eyes.

Some pious souls took interest to have Pilate’s permission to bury the body of Jesus. With great respect the Redeemer was deposed from the Cross. Our Lady held the body of the Son in Her arms. Sitting at the foot of the Cross, with Her Heart broken by sorrow, She contemplated His bloody and sacred limbs. She saw in Her mind Her Jesus, a tender child, when She covered Him with kisses; She saw Him as a gracious teenager, when She was charmed with His gracefulness, being the most beautiful of the sons of men; and now She sees Him lifeless and in a state of pity. She gazed at the crown of thorns soaked with blood and those nails, instruments of the Passion, and She paused to contemplate the wounds!

O most Holy Virgin, you gave your Jesus to the world for the salvation of men and look how men return Him to you! Those hands that have blessed and benefited and see how human ingratitude had pierced them. Those feet that have walked long distances to evangelize are now wounded! That face, which the Angels gazed with devotion, now men have made it unrecognizable!

O devotees of Mary, so that the consideration of the great sorrow of the Virgin at the foot of the Cross will not be in vain, let us make some practical resolution.

When our eyes rest on the Crucifix or on the image of our Lady, let us reenter in ourselves and reflect: I with my sins have opened the wounds in the body of Jesus and I made the Heart of Mary weep and bleed!

Let us put our guilt, especially the most serious ones, into the side wound of Jesus. The Heart of Jesus is open so that everyone can enter it; but one enters it through Mary. The prayer of the Virgin is very effective; all sinners can enjoy the its fruits.

Our Lady implored the divine mercy on the Calvary for the good thief and obtained the grace for the good thief to enter that same day in Paradise.

No soul should doubt the goodness of Jesus and of Our Lady, even if it were burdened with the most enormous sins.

EXAMPLE:

A worthy holy writer named Disciple once told, that there was a sinner, who among other sins also included that of killing his father and his brother. In order to escape justice, he became a wanderer.

One day during Lent he entered a church, while the preacher spoke of God’s mercy. His heart opened to the light of faith, he decided to confess and, after the sermon, he said to the preacher: I want to confess with you! I have terrible crimes in my soul!

The priest invited him to go and pray at the Altar of Our Lady of Sorrows: In order, to ask the Virgin for a true and sincere pain of his sins!

The sinner, kneeling before the image of Our Lady of Sorrows, prayed with faith and received so much light, that he understood the seriousness of his faults and the many offenses done to God and to Our Lady of Sorrows and he was overcome by such great sorrow that he died then and there at the foot of Altar.

The following day the priest preacher recommended to the people that they pray for the unfortunate man who had died in the Church; as he was saying this words, a white dove appeared in the church, from which a sheet of paper was seen to fall before the feet of the Priest. He took it and read it: “The soul of the dead man who recently left his body, went to Heaven. And you continue to preach the infinite mercy of God!”

A Little Spiritual Flower Offering to our Lady:

– Avoiding scandalous speeches and rebuke those who dare to do them.

Prayer to Mary:

– O Jesus, by the wound of your side, have mercy of the scandalous persons!

Adapted and Translated from:

MARIA REGINA E MADRE DI MISERICORDIA (Mese di Maggio) – by DON GIUSEPPE TOMASELLI