Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Introit
John 19:25-27
There stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother’s sister Mary of Cleophas, and Salome, and Mary Magdalen. Woman, behold thy son, said Jesus; and to the disciple, Behold thy mother. Glory be to the Father.
Collect
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 honour her Sorrows, may obtain the happy fruit of Thy Passion: Who livest and reignest.
Epistle
Judith 13:22, 23-25
The Lord hath blessed thee by His power, Who by thee hath brought our enemies to nought. Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the Lord the most high God, above all women upon the earth. Blessed be the Lord Who made Heaven and earth, because He hath so magnified thy name this day, that thy praise shall not depart out of the mouth of men, who shall be mindful of the power of the Lord forever; for that thou hast not spared thy life by reason of the distress and tribulation of thy people, but hast prevented our ruin in the presence of our God.
Gradual
Sorrowful and tearful art thou, O Virgin Mary, standing by the cross of the Lord Jesus, thy Son and Redeemer. O Virgin Mother of God, He Whom the whole earth containeth not, the Author of life, made man, beareth this anguish of the cross.
Alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia. Holy Mary, Queen of heaven and Mistress of the world, stood by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, full of sorrows. Alleluia.
Sequence: Stabat Mater
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All his bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had pass’d.
Oh, how sad and sore distress’d
Was that Mother, highly blest
Of the sole-begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs;
She beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep
Whelme’d in miseries so deep
Christ’s dear Mother to behold.
Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?
Bruis’d, derided, curs’d, defil’d,
She beheld her tender child:
All with bloody scourges rent.
For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.
O thou Mother! Font of love!
Touch my spirit from above;
Make my heart with thine accord.
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ our Lord.
Holy Mother! Pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me share with thee His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him who mounr’d for me,
All the days that I may life.
By the cross with thee to stay,
There with thee to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins best,
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share thy grief divine.
Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine.
Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swoon’d
In His very blood away.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In His awful Judgment day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defense,
Be Thy cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in Paradise with Thee. Amen.
Gospel
John 19:25-27
At that time: There stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His mother and the disciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, He saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.
Offertory
Jeremiah 18:20
Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when thou standest in the presence of the Lord, that thou speak good things for us and turn His wrath from us.
Secret
We offer unto Thee our prayers and oblations, O Lord Jesus Christ, and humbly beseech Thee that, even as in our prayers we recall the piercing of the most sweet soul of Thy blessed Mother Mary, so through the merits of Thy death, and the repeated loving intercession of Thy Mother and her holy companions at the foot of the cross, we may share in the reward of the blessed: Who livest and reignest.
Communion
Happy the Heart of the blessed Virgin Mary, which without dying earned the palm of martyrdom beneath the cross of our Lord.
Postcommunion
May the sacrifices of which we have partaken, O Lord Jesus Christ, devoutly celebrating the piercing of Thy virgin Mother’s soul, obtain for us with Thy clemency the effect of every salutary benefit. Who livest and reignest.