Journey through Lent with Mary, Mother of Sorrows

One of the earliest sorrows of Mary had to be the fact that she and Joseph, at the very end of her pregnancy, had to make that long, treacherous journey to Bethlehem.  They’re travelling along on a donkey, close to Bethlehem, no doubt, when Mary’s contractions begin. Joseph frantically searches for an appropriate place for Mary to give birth and is turned away. Only one option is open: a shelter for animals.  Bringing Jesus into the world in the cold of a manger, not even fit for humans,   and in the dark of night, had to carry  a sadness within it, as happy as both Mary and Joseph were to be having this special child.

As our Mother, Mary shares the sorrows of women who are exposed to harsh realities during

their pregnancies, harsher, in fact, than traveling close to 100 miles on a donkey: women in war-torn areas of the world, women disowned by their parents for whatever reason, women giving birth in prisons, women whose pregnancies are “darkened” by HIV/AIDS’ contaminations, by the effects of alcohol and drug addictions,  the abandonment of their fathers or threatening divorces and/or unsafe living conditions in which the animal nature of humanity  seems to prevail. Yes, Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, weeps with those who weep when that birth occurs in less than ideal circumstances and places.   She is there, as any  mother would be there, standing beneath “the cross” with her daughters whom she loves unconditionally.  “Your pain,” Mary says, “is my pain.”