From the Cross, Christ does not forget us. His Love continues to flow even in pain. When everything was taken from Him —life, dignity, companionship— He still had something left to give: His mother, and He entrusted her to us as our mother too.
Mary did not turn away from the Cross, even though it tore her apart to see her Son die in such a cruel and unjust way. She remained steadfast, offering her pain with love. Can you imagine watching your child die? Or seeing your husband “crucified” by his sins or wounds? And yet, Mary did not flee. We, on the other hand, so often run away from suffering when it manifests in others. It is hard for us to embrace the cross when marriage becomes difficult.
But pain, when united with Christ, ceases to be a meaningless punishment and becomes an offering and redemption. Like Mary, we can offer our tears, our weariness, or our disappointments for the soul of the other. That is the greatness of marital love: to love also at the Cross, not only in joy.
Today, the Lord reminds us that it is indeed possible to stand by the one who suffers, and that Mary is both model and mother on our marital journey. With her, we learn to remain, to love, to offer.

Brought down to Married Life:

Monica: How happy I am, Victor, since we came back from the Pilgrimage; how many blessings we have received these days, showing themselves in our children.
Victor: Absolutely; seeing is believing. Now I clearly see that we need to look at life with perspective and not make a mountain out of every obstacle that comes our way. We would have spared ourselves so many headaches, especially with our children.
Monica: Exactly, we were lacking Faith, and I have learned that by entrusting our children to His care and relying on Her with our prayer and fasting, She will present everything to Her Son —and He is incapable of denying Her anything.
Victor: How simple everything really is, and yet how complicated we sometimes make it. If you had told me a few years ago that today I would trust so much in our Mother, I would have said you were crazy. I want to thank you for your patience in leading me to Her despite my disbelief and my negative attitude towards everything that came from you and your faith. I must have been a real cross for you all that time, and yet you remained beside me, together with our Mother, offering it in silence. I don’t know what would have become of me and the children if you had not embraced that cross.
Monica: We must give thanks to Our Lady for how She has protected, and continues daily to protect, this great family that loves Her so much. And we must ask Her to help us never let go of Your hand.

Mother,

Today we commemorate you as Our Lady of Sorrows, focusing on the seven sorrows that the Church recalls. Blessed and praised are You forever.