Meditate on the Sorrowful Mystery reflections in our ‘Clack the Beads in October’ series

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Let us go with her, to accompany her in her sorrow, to watch and to weep with her …On September 15, just after celebrating the “triumph” or “exaltation” of the cross, we turn to Our Lady under her title as the Sorrowful Mother.

The liturgy of the day invites us to pray the Stabat Mater, which in the typical English translation begins, “At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother, weeping.”

Pope Francis says that weeping and tears are a gift of grace, a way for us to enter into the suffering of others, and also to repent of our sins that caused Our Lord so much suffering.

For example, as he was preparing to go to Auschwitz, Francis said, “I would like to go to that place of horror, without speeches, without people, other than the few necessary … to enter alone, to pray, and to ask that the Lord may give me the grace to weep.”

Along with the solidarity of our tears, the pope has often reminded us that the way to address those who grieve or suffer is simply to accompany them, not so much with words, but with presence, with a caress.

During this month of the Rosary, one of our editors, Dominican Father Patrick Briscoe, has been offering mini-reflections on each mystery. This last week, he led us to be with Our Lady in the Passion, to accompany her, to watch and to weep with her.

See the reflections below, and follow the series here. Next week, we’ll conclude with the Glorious Mysteries.