# The Sequence of Our Lady of Sorrows
*2015-09-15*

> Bill Young reflects on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, explains the medieval Sequence prayer, and invites listeners to enter into Mary’s suffering to grow in patience and share in Christ’s passion.

## Introducing the Feast

Good evening. I’m Bill Young, and today—Tuesday, September 15th—is the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. In honor of Mary’s suffering, the Church has preserved a medieval hymn called the Sequence of Our Lady of Sorrows, likely composed in the 14th century.

## What the Sequence Says

The Sequence invites us to contemplate Mary’s sorrows so that we may console her and, in doing so, grow in patience and perseverance. By sharing in her trials, our own hardships become easier to bear. The hymn can be said or sung before the Gospel on this feast day.

*At the cross of her station, keeping mourning, Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last, through her heart her sorrows sharing, all his bitter anguish bearing.*

*Now at length the sword has passed; oh, how sad, how sore distressed, was the mother highly blessed, above in torments hanged.*

*She beholds the pangs of her dying gracious Son. Who would not weep, overwhelmed in the misery so deep?*

## Entering Mary’s Pain

The prayer asks us to open our hearts to Mary’s pain: *In the mother’s pain untold, bruised and dreaded, she beheld her tender Child, all with a bloody wound.*

We are invited to unite our hearts with hers: *Make my heart accord with yours; make me feel as you have felt; let my soul grow and melt with the love of Christ our Lord.*

Through this union we ask Mary to intercede: *Pray for us, Our Lady of Sorrows, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.*

## Closing Prayer

Let us pray:

O God, who willed your Son to have his holy Mother by his side, grant that your Church may share in the glory of the Resurrection through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

*By entering into Mary’s sorrows, we learn to bear our own trials with greater patience and hope.*