Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Homily for Saturday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time - Our Lady of Sorrows

For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/091507.shtml

I have never explicitly asked God for a miraculous sign other than the ones already all around me that testify to the truth of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. I did receive a special grace, however, during a mission trip to a girl’s orphanage in Santa Rose de Copan, Honduras. I have not made trips to Lourdes or Fatima or Medjugore in search of additional private revelation, but the one private revelation I have been most privileged to witness was the weeping of a Marian statue at the entrance of the Catholic University in Santa Rosa de Copan. If I was more organized I would have a picture handy to place on this blog for you to see for yourself. Considering I am one of the biggest doubters (Thomases) out there, it is really unusual for me to be writing about this special experience.
If I never have another private revelation, I do not think I will lose my faith in Christ or my devotion to the Blessed Mother. But if I never have another experience like this one, I will always wonder why I was granted this vision of Mary crying – Our Lady of Sorrows. For me this experience creates a desire to have a contrite, or a sorrowful heart. Mary as the first member of heaven fulfills all the beatitudes; today, we especially honor her blessedness in mourning the scourging and death of Her Son. The great saints who have gone before us had contrite hearts; they never wanted to become desensitized to the damage inflicted by their sin to the body of Christ. Just as Mary could not become any less sorrowful over the suffering of Her son, so may we everyday grow ino a sorrow like unto hers!

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