Mary, the mother of Jesus, is an extraordinary model of presence in times of difficulty. The Seven Sorrows of Mary, honored in the Loretto Community on September 15, recall the unimaginable challenges she endured and the profound bond she shared with her son, Jesus. Through her sorrows, Mary remained steadfastly present, offering a powerful example of love, compassion, and faithful presence in the midst of suffering.

Scripture tells us that Mary learned of her future sorrows when she and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple 40 days after his birth. There, the prophet Simeon declared, “This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own heart, too.’” (Luke 2: 33-38)

Simeon’s unusual words to Mary foreshadowed a life of then-unnamed suffering that would require profound trust, compassion, and presence, especially in the terrifying events surrounding Jesus’s death by crucifixion. In these events, we see a role model for facing uncertainty and suffering in our own lives, in the lives of those we love, and in the lives of those affected by war, famine, floods, and other global crises. Mary remained steadfast and courageous in the knowledge that God’s love sustained her and that her friends — Mary Magdalena, her own sister Mary, and Jesus’ disciple John — stood beside her. 

Like Mary, our SMA community strives to face difficulties and sorrows with courage and grace and use our sorrow to become more sensitive to the suffering of others. We rely on our Loretto School Values to guide us in sharing other people’s challenges by encouraging students to be present with persons in need, whether on the playground or across the globe, and to use their talents in the service of others.

Found in the Gospels, Mary’s Seven Sorrows are: hearing the prophecy that Jesus would be reviled and hated and her heart would be pierced by a sword; fleeing with Joseph and Jesus to Egypt for safety; Jesus being lost for three days in the Temple at Jerusalem; meeting her condemned son as he walked to his crucifixion; seeing her son crucified; receiving his dead body; burying Jesus.