Seven Dolours of Mary at the Death of Jesus

Preface

"Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" Mathew 21:22

"What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" Mark 11:24

This is the Secret revealed to us 2000 years ago by our Lord Jesus Christ, what soever you think you want, when you say think – think we have been created in the image and likeness of God and with the same power of thinking, God the Almighty Creator has created the whole of the Universe from the microcosm to the macrocosm everything in all its glory was created by Him by his single thought, that being the power of the creator and Our Lord revealed above secret verses telling us how to think and ask in your prayer and you believe that you have received them and you shall have them, believe means the belief with faith – faith he says if you have faith of a mustard seed and tell the mountain to move, it moves, and what is faith – it is to believe in the true person, individual, the Omnipotent and Omnipresent Almighty Everlasting God with all your strength, being, body, mind and soul; and to believe in the true character of God – Quantum Hologram the Power of the Mind of God, the vast and abundant Think Tank full of wisdom, knowledge, intelligence, understanding and creative power, who has produced every good thing in abundance in this Universe for us, because he loves us, for this love Our Lord Jesus Christ has sacrificed life for us. With this belief, faith, love, humility and gratefulness and thankful emotional feelings you ask and you will surely have received them. This is the Maha Manthra.

As a boy I grew up seeing my Grandfather and my Father being devotees of the Mother of Sorrows. They initiated the devotion of the Mother of sorrows in me. They have had a happy and full life. This life is a mixture of sorrows and happiness, pains and gains, bitter and sweet, strength and weakness, darkness and light, etc., etc. In all our bad times and good times, we pray to Mother of Sorrows and she has never let us down, even for a single moment in our life. When I was a small boy, my father took a promise from me, that is to pray to the Mother of Sorrows daily.

When I was a boy of seven, my grandfather died. Seven days before his death, he revealed to the family members about the God’s call and prepared himself for a happy death. So also my father too revealed to us about his death seven days earlier, which I did not believe. After my dad’s death, I forgot all about this, because I was still a student,
my mom was unemployed and I had three brothers and three sisters younger to me and I lost all hopes on this earth. We struggled hard to come up in life.

One day I came across the prayer book again, and I remembered about the promise and I started my devotion to the Mother of Sorrows, my life started blooming once again. When you think of your time to leave this earth and everything, it leaves an eerie chill up the spine. But if you are a devotee of the Mother of Sorrows, she not only makes your life happy on this earth, but also secures you a place in the future, eternity and heaven with everlasting peace guaranteed. I gathered that this prayer could have been composed and used by St.Gabriel Possenti, of Our Lady of Sorrows. His meditations were made in the pierced Heart of the Mother of Sorrows.

I have made a few paintings (acrylic on canvas) on the subject, which will be of interest and topics for meditation

1. Seven Dolours of Mary at the death of Jesus,

2. Jesus takes leave on Maundy Thursday,

3. Jesus is taken captive,

4. Mother Meets Jesus,

5. Animals too have compassion,

6. Garland of Tears, St. Catherine of Bologna.

I heard in one of my Christmas sermons, how our fore-father Adam and Eve, living in the wilderness, without the love from God and leading a life of hardship, got fed-up and used to go to the Eden garden; their original dwelling place and knocked on the doors of God and begged for Mercy and Balm of God. God answered them by giving them a sapling of a tree and said to them that the Mercy and the Balm of God; the panacea of all our troubles would be given from that tree. Hence after many years Jesus was born in that wooden manger and after 33 years he died on the same wood pouring his precious blood as Divine Mercy on the entire world to redeem us from the bondage of slavery and sins, His own body is a Great Medicine, Panacea and Balm for all our illness, ailments and troubles, and to strengthen our body, mind and soul with his life and spirit he made a Supreme & Divine Sacrifice for the Mankind as a Mercy Balm.

Also when Jesus Christ was carrying the cross, Simon of Cyrene was forced by the Roman Soldiers to help Jesus to carry his cross. Simon did not like to be a part of the scene, hence he reluctantly he had to comply as there was no option to him. But what he got was a different experience, when he carried the cross it was like a weightless feather. Jesus alone carried the cross and removed all our burdens. He and His Mother removed all our Burden and becomes a Divine medicine and a panacea for all our pains, ailments, sorrows, troubles, sufferings, distress, and shameful & ill-treatment we get from others and all our problems, whether it be mental, moral and physical are all removed. Mother gives us the strength, courage and energy and fills us with the Divine light of power and grace and blessings which brings love, happiness, joy, prosperity & peace to all the members of the family and the home and the household. This was reveled to me by the Author St.Gabriel of Possenti, that when we pray the seven dolours, Mother washes us with the Divine Blood of Jesus and absorbs all our sins, ailments and sufferings and takes charge of our family and our house and protects us from all harm and danger and gives the grace and blessings of God to us.

In this context I wish to state what Hinduism says on this subject. It is revealed to a person about the end point only if he is a realized soul, that is through rigorous meditations and self-denials that one sees God face to face, only great Sadhus and Ascetics have this privilege. Ones he comes to know of this, he calls his surrounding people about 15 or 10 days before and announces that he is undertaking the journey from this gross body on a particular day when he attains Samadhi. St. Thiruvalluvar, says that just like gold when subjected to hot fire it is purified and shines brightly, so also the troubles when it comes to individuals; it should be consumed hot, hot, when one’s soul gets purified of it karma (sins and present work) and shines brightly. In Thirukural he talks about Dharma (i.e. helping others and righteous living) at great length which helps one’s soul to attain Moksha.

A.L.Joseph

The above are my paintings Oil on canvas, and acrylic on canvas for sale

Pl contact my cell No.09886876102 Joseph AL

PRAYERS IN HONOUR OF THE SORROWFUL MOTHER

The Seven Dolours of Mary at the Death of Jesus
First Dolour
O most Sorrowful Mother Mary! I remind thee of the intense pain which pierced thy soul when thy beloved son took leave of thee on Maundy Thursday. Remember how the sword of pain pierced through thy soul, and what burning tears thou didst then shed. I pray thee, O Mary! Stand by me when I take leave of my friends and my soul is about to part from my body in the bitterness of death, that the enemy may then have no power over me. Amen. (Hail Mary)

Second Dolour
O most Sorrowful Mother Mary! I remind thee of the intense pain which pierced thy soul when St. John brought thee the news that thy beloved Child had been shamefully betrayed, taken captive by the Jews, bound, struck, pushed, dragged first to Annas then to Caiphas, and there like amid the wolves, held as prisoner and falsely accused. Remember, O Mary! What a sword of pain then convulsed thy soul, and what burning tears thou didst shed when thou didst exclaim: “O my Son Jesus, Jesus my Son! Who will give me to die for Thee? O my Son Jesus, Jesus my Son!” I pray thee, O Mary! In my last hour, when my heart is full of anxiety and pain, to strengthen me and console me by thy presence, and preserve me from falling into discouragement. Amen. (Hail Mary)

Third Dolour
O most Sorrowful Mother Mary! I remind thee of the intense pain which pierced thy soul on Good Friday when thou didst see with thy own grieving eyes how Pilate presented thy dear Son to the people and said: “Behold the man!” Remember, O Mary! What thy tender Heart suffered, as thou didst behold thy sweetest Child so miserably disfigured by the Cruel inhuman scourging that thou thyself wouldst scarcely have known Him again. What didst thou think, O best of Mothers! When thou didst see His angelic countenance so frightfully distorted, covered with blood and spittle, His head crowned and pierced with thorns, and His whole Body lacerated so that it no longer resembled that of a man? Speak, O Mary! What did thy heart suffer when thou didst hear the Jews tumultuously exclaim: “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” and as Pilate pronounced in thy hearing that most unrighteous judgment! Through these most bitter pangs which lacerated thy maternal Heart, I beg thee, O Mary! When I am called before the severe Judge to give an account of my life, when I must hear the terrible sentence, do thou unite thy great merits to my scant record of good works, that I may receive a favorable judgment. Amen (Hail Mary)

Fourth Dolous
O thou most Sorrowful Mother Mary! I remind thee of the intense pain which pierced thy soul when thou didst meet thy innocent Child, laden so heavily with the hard wood of the Cross, completely exhausted on the road to Golgotha, where like a tender lamb He was to be slaughtered. O most Sorrowful Mother! What a martyrdom it was for thee, to see Him sink under His burden, but driven onwards by the executioners with thrusts and blows! O holy Virgin! Through thy maternal Heart thus pierced through and through by the sorrowful spectacle of beholding thine own Adorable Child bearing His Cross, I beseech thee that at my going hence thou wouldst turn thy merciful eyes towards me, that in my death agony I may be consoled and strengthened by the light of thy face. Amen. (Hail Mary)

Fifth Dolour
O most Sorrowful Mother Mary! I remind thee of the intense pain which wrung thy soul when thou didst hear that thy dear Son was most inhumanly fastened to the Cross by large nails driven through His hands and feet. O most loving, most sorrowful Mother! How hard must every blow of the hammer have struck on thy tender Heart? What wounds must thy heart have received! Through these thy sufferings, and through thy burning tears and sighs which penetrated even to heaven. I pray thee not to forsake me when I lie in my last agony and the arrows of death are piercing my heart. Amen. (Hail Mary)

Sixth Dolour
O most Sorrowful Mother Mary! I remind thee of the intense pain which pierced thy soul when thou didst raise thy eyes streaming with tears, and see thy beloved Son hanging on the Cross in unutterable torments and didst behold His enemies triumph over Him with mocking taunts and blasphemies. How must thy Heart have been torn at hearing the words: “My God, My God! Why hast Thou forsaken me?” O holy, anguished Mother! think how painfully thou didst stand beneath the Cross, when thy Son cried out: It is consummated, Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit! Oh, the anguish and sorrow of thy Mother-Heart when thy Son died upon the Cross! I pray thee through the bitter death of thy well-beloved Son, assist me at the hour of my death, take my poor soul into thy hands and present it to thy Divine Son, Amen. (Hail Mary)

Seventh Dolour
O most Sorrowful Mother Mary! I remind thee of the intense pain which transpierced thy soul when a spear penetrated the Lifeless Heart of Jesus! Then thy loving Heart was penetrated through and through! O grief-stricken Mother! what didst thou experience when, after the dead Body of thy Son had been taken down from the Cross it was laid in the virginal lap, and bathed with thy tears? What didst thou not suffer at beholding the large Wounds in His hands and feet? What didst thou not feel at beholding that Divine countenance so disfigured that thou couldst scarcely recognize it? Might not thy pangs have softened stones and moved unreasoning beasts to compassion? Therefore, O most compassionate Mother by all these thy sorrows, I entreat thee to have pity on my soul in my last sorrow, to cleanse it with thy tears, to take it in thy arms, as thou didst once take the Body of thy Divine Son, and lead it to eternal felicity. Amen (Hail Mary).

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Prayer before an Image of the Mother of Sorrows
Everywhere in churches and chapels, we find an image representing Mary holding the lifeless Body of her Divine Son in her arms. These representations are called “pietas.” a sculpture made by famous Artist Michael Angelo. Countless graces are obtained by visiting such images. If one desires to obtain special favours, it is well to visit one of these images nine times or thirty times, and pray for the desired grace through the powerful intercession of the Mother of Sorrows. The rosary of the seven dolours, the following prayer, may be said.
O most compassionate Mother, what bitterness filled by heart when thou didst embrace the lacerated Body of thy Son with thy virginal arms, press Him lovingly to thy maternal Heart, and cover Him with tenderest kisses. I remind thee of this inexpressible bitterness, in virtue of which I beseech thee to obtain for me forgiveness of my sins. O Mary, pray me a poor sinner, to thy Jesus whom thou didst hold in thy arms. I beseech thee, O Mary, by the sorrowful mystery of the pieta-image, aid me to obtain grace from God. Take the wounded Body of thy Son into thy maternal arms, and offer Him in this condition to the Heavenly Father for me. Offer Him His Pierced Heart, His Passion and death, and all thy immeasurable sorrows to obtain grace and mercy for me.
Holy Mother, pierce me through: In my heart each wound renew Of My Saviour Crucified. .

Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows – St. Bridget
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief, beholding the suffering and sorrows of Jesus; Thou didst co-operate in the benefit of my redemption by thy innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His Only-Begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me a sinner. Oh; make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins; and that preserving till death in His Grace, I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.