Friday in Passion Week. The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Non-Italic Text taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal for 
Friday in Passion Week
Pictures and Italic text taken from Wikipedia (the free encyclopaedia) (unless otherwise accredited)
Greater Double
White Vestments

The Blessed Virgin Mary surrounded by The Seven Sorrows
Picture from Wikimedia Commons. Author: Georges Jansoone (JoJan)
Artwork by Adriaen Isenbrant, June 2009

The Christmas Cycle celebrated the part taken by the Blessed Virgin in the Mystery of the Incarnation, glorifying both the Divinity of Jesus and the Divine Maternity of Mary.

The Easter Cycle tells us how the Mother of the Saviour co-operated in the Mystery of the Redemption. It shows her in this Season of the Passion at the foot of the Cross, where Christ is dying (Introit, Sequence, Gospel). “An ineffable union is established between the oblation of the Incarnate Word and that of Mary; the Divine Blood and the tears of the Mother flow together and are mixed for the redemption of the human race.” [The quoted text is taken from “The Liturgical Year” by Dom Guéranger: Friday in Passion Week.]

“The prophecy of Simeon is fulfilled: A sword of grief pierces the most gentle Soul of the glorious Virgin Mary (Collect), who, by her unequalled love, becomes the Queen of Martyrs” (Communion). [This quoted text is taken from Saint Bernard: Sixth Lesson at Matins.]

As Judith had delivered Israel by killing Holofernes (Epistle), the Virgin is our deliverer with Jesus. Wherefore, the Gospel shows us, at the foot of the Tree of Passion, in a scene which recalls the Tree of Prevarication, the Maternity of Mary with regard to the Church personified by Saint John.

“Let us venerate the Transfixion of the glorious Virgin Mary at the foot of the Cross, in order to gather the happy fruit of the Passion of her Son” (Collect).