Pierced Heart

~~~ Feast of the Presentation of the Lord ~~~

~~~ Malachi 3:1-4 ~~~ Psalm 24 ~~~ 

~~~ Hebrews 2:14-18 ~~~ Luke 2:22-40 ~~~

—and you yourself a sword will pierce—

so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Simeon and Anna were present when Mary and Joseph

fulfilled the law by presenting Jesus in the temple.

Imagine being told that a sword would pierce your heart

 as you were caressing your son. 

Mary and Joseph were filled with joy 

at the birth of their son.

Every parent can relate to some degree

 what it means to have your heart pierced.

We do not live in a perfect world.

There are so many situations that pierce

 the heart of a mother and a father.

We tend to think of this from a negative view point.

Mary must have had her heart pierced 

with times of joy, happiness, and surprise.

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;

and the favor of God was upon him.

Parents take great pleasure 

watching their children grow and develop.

Each small accomplishment is cause 

for your heart to be pierced with joy.

Just as a seedling pierces through 

the hard darkness of the seed coating,

joy can pierce our heart.

Mary had so much joy that she was able to bear

 the sorrow of watching her son,

 Jesus, suffer and die for us.

It was the depth of her joy

 that kept Mary from crumbling at the sight 

of the pain Jesus endured.

The favor of God was with Jesus.

The favor of God was with Mary.

The favor of God is with you too.

It is his love that allows your heart to be pierced.

The seed pierces the soil bringing forth new life.

Mary's heart was pierced, just as Jesus 

was dying to give us eternal life.

Sometimes it is necessary for our heart to be pierced.

Out of the puncture wound goodness is possible.

Blessings in the piercings of the heart.

~~~Peace~~~

The Presentation of Sorrows

Our Lady of Sorrows

 

~~~ 1 Cor 10: 14-22 ~~~ Psalm 116 ~~~ Luke 2: 33-35 ~~~

 

"Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
and you yourself a sword will pierce
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

 

This prophecy of Simeon was the beginning of Mary's sorrowful life.

Today the church is calling to our attention the facet of Mary's life that is not unlike our own. We are all faced with sorrows in our lives...deaths, disappointments, losses are just a few. Mary's life was surely filled with many joys as well.

It is by design that this feast immediately follows the Exultation of the Cross.

Without a doubt Mary's greatest sorrow was the violent brutal death of her son, Jesus.

She silently accepted her sorrows holding them close to her heart.

 

At the Annunciation when she answered 'yes'

she have little if any understanding about

what the future would bring for her.

 

When Mary and Joseph made the presentation of their baby, Jesus,

in the temple Mary had no idea she would be told such heart piercing words.

These words were spoken to her from a respected person

but yet Simeon was a stranger.

I wonder if Mary's first reaction was to discount his words.

Being a mother myself I am sure they were not

words she expected to hear.

 

I remember being a new mother myself.

Our first child had a serious intestinal birth defect.

At only nine days of age he needed life saving surgery.

The next six weeks following his delicate surgery were spent in the NICU.

 

Mary had given birth to a health baby boy so these words were more difficult to believe. Her initial sorrows were not manifested with external signs.

In the final hours before the death of Jesus the sorrows of Mary were sorely visible.

Others around her, who loved Jesus and her, were also filled with sorrow.

For Mary as his mother her sorrow must have been extremely painful. She may have even felt some physical pain due to the intensity of her emotional pain.

 

 

We know from the scriptures the many times when Mary was plunged into sorrow.

The sorows she experienced have made her the perfect person for us.

When we are in the midst of our sorrows it is comforting to go to her.

Talk with Mary in your prayer time...she understands...as only a mother can.

She knows the hidden sorrows that lie within your heart.

She knows the visible effects of deep sorrows.

 

There is so much we can learn from how Mary moved through

her life with her sorrows.

She never tried to deny or ignore her sorrows.

She bore them fully and totally in her heart.

She tempered them with the promise of heaven.

She believed that she would be reunited with her son, Jesus, in heaven.

 

Mary is full of love and compassion for you.

Bring her your sorrows asking her for the wisdom to accept

and the courage to persevere.

 

"You need endurance to do the will of God

and receive what he has promised."

Hebrews 10: 36

 

I invite you to read the Stabat Mater prayer today

which summarizes the great sorros of Mary.

You may also want to pray the

Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary today.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.