Mary is called the Mother of Martyrs. She was not martyred herself, but the pain she went through was martyrdom in life. No one, except Christ, has suffered like Mary. She had to watch her Son handed over to His enemies and broken. She walked beside Him in his Passion and death. And in the end, she watched her own child die on a cross.
I remember my grandmother after my mother died, it is a pain beyond belief to lose a child. I can not imagine that pain. And I can not imagine losing a child who is also the savior of the world.
Catholics have a devotion called the 7 Sorrows of Mary. We think of them and pray, and let Mary guide us to a deeper relationship with Christ through the most difficult moments of her life. Mary comforts us, when we should comfort her. It is a devotion that has opened my heart many times. It has helped me to understand difficult concepts in times of suffering and brought me to a better understanding of Christ.
The 7 sorrows are:
The prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2: 25-35)
The Fight into Egypt (Matthew 2: 13-15)
The Loss of Christ in the Temple (Luke 2: 41-50)
Meeting Christ as He carried His Cross (Luke 23: 27-29)
The Crucifixion and death of Jesus (John 19: 25-30)
Mary receives the Body of Jesus (Reading: Psalm 130.)
The Burial of Jesus (Luke 23: 50-56)
An Online Chaplet of the Sorrows
(link)
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