Mary, Mother of Sorrows

Mary, Mother of Sorrows:  Sister Joyce Rupp in “Your Sorrow is my Sorrow,” imagines Mary telling her what it was like when, at the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Simeon spoke the words of the prophesy:

 

“His voice trembled,” she imagined, “and his words were engulfed with sadness as

He said to me, ‘ This child will face great opposition. He will not be accepted by those

who have power to destroy him. This child will pay a heavy price for his goodness.

 And you, Mary, your hurt will be so profound, you will feel as though your heart

 was sliced through with a sharp sword.’”

 Yesterday we had a repeat of Columbine. A student opened fire on fellow students in the cafeteria of his high school in Chardon, OH.  Five students were hit with bullets, two have died and three others are seriously hurt. Doublas Stanglin, in USA Today, Feb. 28, 2012, gives the following update on those who were shot: “Among the remaining victims, one teen in critical condition, another, a 17-year-old boy, is in serious condition and the third, an 18-year-old girl, is listed as stable, WKYC reports. The suspect was captured nearby after he fled the school. The first victim, Daniel Parmertor, 16, died on Monday within hours of the shooting. The Permertor family released the following statement: “We are shocked by this senseless tragedy. Danny was a bright young boy who had a bright future ahead of him. The family is torn by this loss….”

 The crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus repeated in Chardon, OH. Mary stands beneath the crosses of each of the persons affected by this tragedy, including the shooter and his parents.  The hurt of the parents of those children killed and those clinging to life, as well as of the parents of the bullied student who opened fire, is “so profound, [they] feel as though [their hearts were] sliced through with a sharp sword.” Mary says to them and to us: “Your pain is my pain.”