Monthly Devotion: Our Sorrowful Mother

"O God, at Whose passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow pierced the most sweet soul of the glorious Virgin and Mother Mary: mercifully grant that we who with devotion honor her sorrows, may obtain the happy fruit of Thy passion: Who livest and reignst, world without end. Amen. 
- Collect from the Mass of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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Now let the somber shades of evening hide the sky, 
The stricken sun depart and bid the daylight fly, 
Whilst I the scene, which brought the Son of God to die
Amid mocking scorn, in soul recall.

Overwhelmed with grief thou noble heart still strong in might, 
There Mother, didst thou stand, in torment at the sight,
Thy dying Son, deep mourning, beholding with affright, 
While on the bitter cross He hangs.

Thou standest there, O Virgin, braver in thy tears,
Then all the martyrs host: a wonder new appears,
In thee, O Mother, pierced with pain and grievous fears,
In death pangs oft, thou diest not.

Be to the Trinity on high all glory, praised,
And honor given to Him my suppliant prayer I raise,
That He would grant me strength like to the Virgin's grace,
Adversity to face and bear, Amen. 

​- Hymn from Vespers for the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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​His Body flayed with grievous stripes, by scourges rent.
His red wounds opened wide, ​His strength now almost spent.
How many cruel swords through thy sweet heart there went.
When thus thy Son thou sawest die. 

Ah! how doth all conspire to make thy pain more dread:
The spitting, stripes, and blows, the thorns which crown His head,
The nails, the sponge and lance, His wounds, His blood now shed
His thirst with gall and aloes mocked.
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Sweet, Pierced Heart of Our Sorrowful Mother,
be my salvation!