by Becky Thomson, Christian Moms Coordinator
The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows was this past Friday, September 15. Seven deep sorrows proclaimed through Simeon, would pierce Our Lady’s heart throughout her life. Contemplating on these sorrows can bring us into a more intimate relationship with her – leading us to her Son, Jesus. I planned to find time throughout the moments in that day, to walk through the sorrows in remembrance.
What I wasn’t expecting, was my own brief “heart piercing” on this memorial. A great day had started with my five-year-old son and his friends at the park, I helped prep my older boys for a camping trip and enjoyed a rare few moments chatting with my husband. I even received a phone call from my college boy. Later, my day would take an unexpected turn. I decided to go to Mass in honor of Our Lady's memorial and planned to enjoy a Friday evening with a glass of wine and listen to my husband and some of his musical cohorts jam out in “the barn” – an outbuilding next to our house. The five-year-old and I were having a great time listening and playing around to the music.
He spun on his stomach on an ottoman with wheels and was thrust by his own force, chin first onto the concrete floor. I heard the hard crack and knew he’d be in for stitches. I told my husband I’d take him to the ER. My son was a trooper, but once the procedure started, the pain and anxiety set in. He flailed about and would not cooperate. Sedation was proposed. I was unsure about this, but, the doctor felt it best. I was warned the shot given as a sedative would work quickly. He would be groggy and unaware and his eyes would get hazy. I wasn’t, however, expecting my son’s breathing to become labored and his oxygen levels to rapidly sink. I didn’t know at the time, but, he was having a reaction that caused his vocal chords to spasm. The staff was extremely calm and reassuring, but, as the beeps on the monitor continued, I began to mutter softly aloud, “I really don’t like this. He doesn’t look right.” As they suctioned saliva from his mouth and hooked him to oxygen, I tried to sing to my baby and continued to talk to him – unsure if he could hear me.
I held his hand and realized that I had to put all my TRUST in God at this moment. There was nothing I could do but hold his hand and pray. After a few eternal minutes, my son was stable enough to get five small stitches in his chin. The wait for him to regain full consciousness was longer than expected. It was well after midnight when I held my very limp, fifty-pound “tough guy” in my arms to go home. He was going to be fine.
While carrying him in my arms, I contemplated on the sorrows Mary endured – especially holding her lifeless son after he died on the cross. I breathed a deep sigh of gratitude and realized this was a small hiccup in our life. I wondered how many mothers around the world were also holding their children in the middle of the night --- moms holding newborn babies, moms holding sick children, moms perhaps wishing to hold a child that was lost or one that was longed for.
I brought home my blonde-haired, battle-scarred boy and put him in his bed. We said our "I Love Yous" and then ... he vomited. (Just what I needed, right?) Then, he fell fast asleep. I was reminded how much our Savior gave for us to be a part of this world and how much his own mother endured. This certainly wasn’t my first or even my worst “heart piercing” to date. I know it won’t be my last.
It’s hard to see our children struggle with life’s challenges. There are illnesses, homework challenges, relationship struggles and so much more. As mothers, we often feel the stab wounds more deeply than they do. Yet, our hearts as mothers cannot be completely broken for those who have Christ. Through Him our hearts can be mended - our piercings can scab over and scar.
After my contemplation, I now see that my one-day walk with the Blessed Mother is really one I take daily. I walk with her in solidarity and friendship. She has helped me to see that there is great hope amidst the daily sufferings and thankfully, there are SO MANY JOYS that come with motherhood too! We must not forget that Mary experienced SEVEN GREAT JOYS as well! Most evidently, there is a woman who will intercede for us and bring to her Son all that we ask for.
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. Amen.
If you want to learn more about Our Lady of Sorrows, here are a few resources:
ABOUT OUR LADY OF SORROWS
HONORING OUR LADY OF SORROWS
The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows was this past Friday, September 15. Seven deep sorrows proclaimed through Simeon, would pierce Our Lady’s heart throughout her life. Contemplating on these sorrows can bring us into a more intimate relationship with her – leading us to her Son, Jesus. I planned to find time throughout the moments in that day, to walk through the sorrows in remembrance.
What I wasn’t expecting, was my own brief “heart piercing” on this memorial. A great day had started with my five-year-old son and his friends at the park, I helped prep my older boys for a camping trip and enjoyed a rare few moments chatting with my husband. I even received a phone call from my college boy. Later, my day would take an unexpected turn. I decided to go to Mass in honor of Our Lady's memorial and planned to enjoy a Friday evening with a glass of wine and listen to my husband and some of his musical cohorts jam out in “the barn” – an outbuilding next to our house. The five-year-old and I were having a great time listening and playing around to the music.
He spun on his stomach on an ottoman with wheels and was thrust by his own force, chin first onto the concrete floor. I heard the hard crack and knew he’d be in for stitches. I told my husband I’d take him to the ER. My son was a trooper, but once the procedure started, the pain and anxiety set in. He flailed about and would not cooperate. Sedation was proposed. I was unsure about this, but, the doctor felt it best. I was warned the shot given as a sedative would work quickly. He would be groggy and unaware and his eyes would get hazy. I wasn’t, however, expecting my son’s breathing to become labored and his oxygen levels to rapidly sink. I didn’t know at the time, but, he was having a reaction that caused his vocal chords to spasm. The staff was extremely calm and reassuring, but, as the beeps on the monitor continued, I began to mutter softly aloud, “I really don’t like this. He doesn’t look right.” As they suctioned saliva from his mouth and hooked him to oxygen, I tried to sing to my baby and continued to talk to him – unsure if he could hear me.
I held his hand and realized that I had to put all my TRUST in God at this moment. There was nothing I could do but hold his hand and pray. After a few eternal minutes, my son was stable enough to get five small stitches in his chin. The wait for him to regain full consciousness was longer than expected. It was well after midnight when I held my very limp, fifty-pound “tough guy” in my arms to go home. He was going to be fine.
While carrying him in my arms, I contemplated on the sorrows Mary endured – especially holding her lifeless son after he died on the cross. I breathed a deep sigh of gratitude and realized this was a small hiccup in our life. I wondered how many mothers around the world were also holding their children in the middle of the night --- moms holding newborn babies, moms holding sick children, moms perhaps wishing to hold a child that was lost or one that was longed for.
I brought home my blonde-haired, battle-scarred boy and put him in his bed. We said our "I Love Yous" and then ... he vomited. (Just what I needed, right?) Then, he fell fast asleep. I was reminded how much our Savior gave for us to be a part of this world and how much his own mother endured. This certainly wasn’t my first or even my worst “heart piercing” to date. I know it won’t be my last.
It’s hard to see our children struggle with life’s challenges. There are illnesses, homework challenges, relationship struggles and so much more. As mothers, we often feel the stab wounds more deeply than they do. Yet, our hearts as mothers cannot be completely broken for those who have Christ. Through Him our hearts can be mended - our piercings can scab over and scar.
After my contemplation, I now see that my one-day walk with the Blessed Mother is really one I take daily. I walk with her in solidarity and friendship. She has helped me to see that there is great hope amidst the daily sufferings and thankfully, there are SO MANY JOYS that come with motherhood too! We must not forget that Mary experienced SEVEN GREAT JOYS as well! Most evidently, there is a woman who will intercede for us and bring to her Son all that we ask for.
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. Amen.
If you want to learn more about Our Lady of Sorrows, here are a few resources:
ABOUT OUR LADY OF SORROWS
HONORING OUR LADY OF SORROWS