Homily for 15 Sept 2016

15 Sept 2016

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

(School Mass)

Yesterday the Catholic Church celebrated the Cross of Jesus.  We remembered that he died to show how much he loves us, and how much he wants us to have a good life.  And we thank God for all that Jesus did on the Cross.  It’s a marvelous thing Jesus did for us.  But, you know, it was also a very sad thing.

Mary’s only son, Jesus, died.  And we know that she wept, and that her heart became full of sadness and sorrow.  She still had faith, hope, and love in heart—but she was also very, very sad when Jesus died.  But, you know, there was also another person at the Cross.  We don’t know the person’s name, but he’s described as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  And he was sad, too, when Jesus died on the Cross.

But before Jesus died, he made sure that his mother Mary and “the disciple he loved” would stay together.  And that’s important, isn’t it.  You know, when we’re feeling sad, sometimes what makes it even worse is when we’re alone.  When we’re sad, it’s important to be with other people. 

For a lot of the younger students, you usually go to your parents when you’re feeling sad, don’t you?  And that’s good, because our parents can be like Jesus’ mother.  They can be sad with you, and they can tell you it’ll be okay.  And for a lot of older students, you find that sometimes it’s easier to turn to friends when you’re feeling sad.  And that’s good, too; because Jesus puts other people in our lives so that we can through the ups and downs of life together.

And that’s why Jesus says to each one of us: “Children, behold your mother.”  And he says to Mary, his mother: “Woman, behold your children.”  Jesus gives his mother to us, and he gives us to his mother.  And that’s because he knows it’s hard to be a good disciple of his.  Sometimes, being a disciple of Jesus makes us sad or sorrowful, and he knows that we’ll need our Blessed Mother to help us and to tell us it’ll be okay. 

So, when you’re sad, remember to go to your parents or your friends, or your priest or whoever can help you.  Just remember that you can also go to our Blessed Mother—to Our Lady of Sorrows—who can be sad with you, but who can also keep you strong in faith and in hope.