15 September 2018
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
The Pietà by French classical painter, William Adolphe Bouguereau provides a very unique depiction of this most famous image. The interpretation of Mary in Bouguereau’s Pieta is different from Michelangelo’s Pietà or many other versions, where Mary is offering her child to the world. In Bouguereau’s painting, Mary clutches Christ, not offering him to a sinful world that required her son’s sacrifice. The weeping Mary cloaked in a robe of black is mourning the death of her son whom she holds to her chest. Mary looks out and up with her swollen red eyes that are filled with sorrow. This image can be interpreted as the Blessed Mother accusing both the heavens and the earth for the pain she and her son has suffered.
In my retreat two summers ago, one of the speakers, who is a Jesuit psychologist, talked about pyscho sexual development for celibate men. He ended up discussing the sexual abuse crisis in the Church. While the priest talked about the issue long before this second wave of the abuse crisis, he shared an important insight that is still relevant today. We need to pray with Mary at the foot of the cross. You can bring all of your frustrations, anger, questions, hurt, and deep sadness from what is happening in the Church these days to the foot of the cross. Like Mary, you can fix your watered eyes up on the crucifix. As you looked at the horrific death that Jesus endured, you can think about all of the evil that happened with the sexual abuse.
In your moment of prayer today, imagine that you are sitting or standing where Mary was at the Crucifixion of her son. Share the thoughts that she must have had and the pain that pierced her heart. Ask God now, in your moment of prayer, for the gift to be reminded of the image of Our Lady of Sorrows.